Diaclaimer: I don't own Parasite Eve or the characters.. blah blah blah.. don' sue me blah blah blah....
Chapter One... The Pleasures of Motherhood
Announcer: It's been three moths since the tragedy in New York and scientists are still flocking to Liberty Island in hopes of ........
Aya cut off the television and walked out onto her balcony. She looked over the city wondering where she went from here. Ever since she fought Eve she really had nothing to do. She sat around the office and just wrote reports and went to countless interviews. Aya looked at her watch.
"10:00 p.m...." she perked her ears. A baby's cry could be heard cutting through the silence in her apartment. "right on time."
Aya walked over to the blue bassinet that sat beside her bed and traced her finger along the fancy lace. She picked up the baby resting inside and bottle fed her humming a soft lullaby she remembered her mother singing to her. The baby gazed into Aya's eyes lovingly.
"A name like Maya.... why would your mother give you such a name?"
...............
Aya placed sleeping baby Maya back in the bassinet and pulled the covers up to her chin. She found it harder and harder to look into Maya's eyes every day. Those emerald eyes. Such beautiful eyes. Aya lied back on her bed and rested her arms behind her head.
"You've been with me for a month now baby Maya. I remember the day I rescued you."
_______________________________________________________________________
One Month ago, today. March 17th, 1998 8:45pm _______________________________________________________________________
Aya pulled up to Melissa's burnt apartment. She wasn't ready to let the case rest until she found out what Eve meant. Aya figured she might as well start at the beginning. The apartment would make for lousy evidence.. but any evidence was good enough right now. Aya pushed the charred door opened and saw what must have been the living room at one time.
"You'll defeat me... but you won't hurt her. Your downfall will be your heart Aya." Aya let Eve's words sing in her head as she inspected the apartment from top to bottom. As she suspected, she came up empty handed. She did, though, find a melted baby bottle resting on the burnt coffee table. Aya ignored the bottle and decided to leave.
**Could those words be true? They came in a dream. Does that mean that what Eve said to me is necessarily true?**
Back at headquarters Aya made her way to Daniel's office. Daniel had done little to personalize the office. He didn't even change Baker's name tag on the desk. Daniel was holding a small baby with green eyes. Emerald to be exact.
"Baby-sitting Daniel?" Aya laughed.
"I wish it were the case.. I wish this was even amusing Aya. We have a real problem here." Daniel spoke low.
"What's the prob?" Aya said leaning herself against a chair and cleaning the soot off her boots.
"Would you believe me if I told you this was Melissa's baby?" Daniel said giving Aya a rather disturbing look
Aya almost fell off the chair on that last comment. "You're kidding me right"
Daniel began "Well it wasn't exactly a given.. but no one doubted her ability to make a baby. They say that she had met someone in the play. They fell in love and she got pregnant. When she told him he took off. His name was Evan Almasay and he took off and moved to another state entirely to get away from her. The baby's name is... Maya Almasay."
"Oh come on!!! You're kidding me!! She's mocking me even after her death! Maya?!" Aya grew angry
Baby Maya began to cry.
"She hasn't stopped crying until you stepped into the office. Aya come look at her. Do you think she has any...... you know.. bad mitochondria in her?" Daniel asked
"Well Klamp never men...."
"The guy wasn't exactly truthful Aya. He wouldn't have told us even if he was alive to do so." Daniel cut her off.
Aya pulled back baby Maya's blankets to get a good look at her.
"How did you get her anyway Daniel?"
"Well that's the other half of the story. When Melissa took ill and the show was nearing she became weary of the baby's well being and sent her to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother was found.... in a burnt down apartment...."
Aya looked down at Maya in pure fear. "No..... no way....... not the baby...."
Daniel nodded "They found the baby resting in a bassinet crying. Around her seemed to be some sort of weird light glowing. There wasn't even a cinder within a ten foot radius of that bassinet. No one can explain anything but we've done all we can to keep this a secret. We don't need world wide hysteria again"
Aya took the baby in her arms. "Daniel... if this is the case... if this baby can do what her mother did... she would have to be...."
"Killed.." Daniel finished. "We've considered that already. It's not high on my list of do's but it's the only thing we can think of."
"What if..... I were to take her? She can't hurt me." Aya spoke rocking the baby in her arms.
"That's not even an option... she dies or we ship her off to some fireproof lab in Sweden.. that's our options Aya." Daniel spoke defensively.
"As if that would work Daniel! Be realistic here! We're talking about a deadly weapon! She just can't be cut into pieces and experimented on! She's human!" Aya argued holding the baby closer. "No absolutely not! I'll take her.. and if she does anything strange.. I'll report it. She's not like her mother. She's a baby for God sakes! Even if she does have the abilities Eve had she wouldn't know how to use them!"
Daniel put his head in his hands. "Handing this baby to you will be like me murdering you Aya. I just can't do that. Your heart will be your downfall one day."
Aya almost lost her grip on the baby. "What did you say?"
Daniel spoke softly. "I'm sorry.. it's just that you take everything into consideration... I only hope that doesn't kill you one day."
Aya smiled at Daniel. "You worry too much. I will take her. Just believe in me. I've got this.. and if she does manage to use her abilities again.. I'm the only one that can take it. Don't tell anyone about her. We don't want to cause mass confusion. goodnight Daniel."
"Night Aya... Oh! Hey Aya!! Call me if anything strange happens! I mean ANYTHING!" Daniel shouted as she left.
Chapter 2: Firestarter
Aya decided to take the bus home that night. It wasn't safe to let the baby lie in a cop car seat while she drove over the wet roads, slick from the previous shower. Aya rested baby Maya on the bed and studied her. She looked normal enough. Straight brown hair and green eyes. A birthmark on her left shoulder and her ears were already pierced.
_______________________________________________________________________
Present Day April 17th, 1998 10:24p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
The night had been miserable. Baby Maya was sick and nothing good was on TV. She decided to page though a book she picked up from the library earlier. The book was uninteresting. Something just told her to pick it up. Aya soon fell asleep.
_______________________________________________________________________
(5 years later) September 8th, 2003 9:45 am
_______________________________________________________________________
Aya dragged a rather reluctant Maya to school. Maya, dressed in a flowered blue dress and a blue bow, fought tooth and nail. She had gotten Aya a few times but Aya ignored it and managed to drag a screaming Maya into the door or Mrs. Tolom's Kingdergarden class.
"Please!! PLEASE!! Stay wif me!! I don't want to stay!! Please!! Take me to work wif you! I promise I will behave!!!" Maya pleaded
"I can't honey! You have to be a big girl and go to school so one day you can grow up and be a police officer just like me." Aya explained wiping the girl's tears.
"Why?" Maya asked.
"Because little girls go to school and big girls go to work. When you get older you'll understand." Aya said standing up.
"You'll come back for me mommy? Pwomise?" Maya sniffled
"I promise! When the two hands on the clock touch the twelve I'll be here. I'll be right outside.. I promise." Aya spoke adjusting Maya's bow and giving her a big hug goodbye.
"You had better!" Maya shouted wiping her eyes.
Aya waved her hand to show Maya she acknowledged her last comment and got in her car. At the precinct Aya thumbed through some unimportant paperwork. She was too excited about Maya's first day at school to really care about work.
Meanwhile, back at the school, Maya had sat in a seat next to a girl with red hair and a pretty red dress on. The class was already in the middle of a coloring session and Maya reached for the red crayon as soon at the same time the little girl did.
"That's my crayon! You can't have it!!" The little girl screamed
"But I need it.. just for a little bit. Please.. it will be all yours when I finish with it." Maya asked politely.
"NO! I WANT IT NOW YOU STUPID GIRL! GIVE IT TO ME!!" The little girl snatched it out of her hands.
Maya got a bit angry.
**Bad people must be punished**
*Hmm?**
**That's why I'm a police officer. I have to go out there and stop bad people. They have to be punished.**
*When I get bigger, can I be a police woman too?*
**You can be anything you want to be.**
*And I will punish people too?*
**Only bad ones.**
Maya glared at the girl in red. She started to feel a bit warm but ignored it and eyed the crayon with anger.
"You're a bad person." Maya hissed
"Huh?" The little girl looked at Maya confused before dropping the crayon and shrieking in nothing short of pure terror. The little girl's paper and dress had caught on fire. Maya sat there and watched in surprise as the fire caught onto her hair. The teacher had called the fire department in a frenzied panic and Maya was moved to safety. The teacher began to roll the little girl on the floor, successfully putting the flames out. But the damage was already done. The girl had severe burn wounds on her legs. Maya only stood back in fear mumbling to herself.
"Maya? Are you OK?" The teacher asked.
"What happened to her?" Maya asked.
The firemen and the police arrived at the same time. Two of the officers escorted all the little children out of the room. Aya pushed her way in and picked up Maya.
"What happened?" Aya asked Maya with a hint of fear in her voice?
"I don't know mommy. That little girl made me mad......." Maya was cut off by Aya covering her mouth.
Aya kicked the door to the girls bathroom opened and sat Maya on the counter. "From the beginning Maya. Tell me everything that happened."
Maya tugged on her dress and began "Well I wanted a red crayon. And the girl took it from me and started yelling at me. Mommy, she was a bad person. She should have been punished and she was. The it got all hot and then I looked at her and her dress and stuff was on fire." Maya started to get teary eyed.
Aya placed a hand on each side of Maya's face. "Listen to me, I don't want you to get angry at people anymore. When people get angry, they say and do things they don't mean. They will hurt other people but sometimes... it's only because they're angry. Do you understand? The next time someone upsets you. You tell a grown up all right?"
Maya nodded slowly.
"Mommy, what happened in there?"
Aya paused for a second. "I don't know honey."
The two girls joined the rest of the class outside. Some of the kids cried as the ambulance pulled off with the little girl inside. The teacher went inside to notify her parents. Maya gripped her mother's hand tighter.
_______________________________________________________________________
The Precinct September 9th, 2003 11:30pm
_______________________________________________________________________
Aya let Maya sit in her desk chair and told her to stay there. Maya spun a few times in the chair while Aya closed the door behind herself in Daniel's office.
Aya pressed her back against the door of the office and sighed. "I didn't want to believe that it would happen, but it is Daniel. I can't lose her." Aya rested her head in her hands and shook all over.
"She unintentionally lighted the girl on fire? She'll become aware that she can do this eventually Aya. She's going to be a threat."
"No Daniel!! I know she's different! She won't be anything like her mother! I swear it!"
"And nothing like this has ever happened before Aya?" Daniel asked twirling his coffee mug around.
"No... not at all. She's been fine all this time."
"Or perhaps to you Aya. Remember, your body can't combust. You don't even know if she's tried on you already."
"That's crazy! I've had her for five years! Nothing has happened since now!!"
"And what's going to prove to me that nothing will happen again?" Daniel asked quietly.
"Daniel, what the hell are you getting at?" Aya shouted.
"She needs to stay under constant supervision." Daniel spoke softly.
"This discussion is over!" Aya stood up and pulled the door open. Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Watch your back Aya. She's not stable and I'm worried about you. I guarantee she won't live a normal life. But she at least deserves a mother. Call me if anything goes wrong."
Aya smiled and extended her hand for Maya to come to her. The two walked out of the precinct hand in hand. Maya looked over her shoulder back at Daniel's office window. She smiled contentedly and walked to the car with her mother.
_______________________________________________________________________
Christmas Day: The Precinct 12:45 p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya, decked out in a red Christmas dress lined with white feathers, danced around the Christmas tree while Ben tried to reach a couple of candy canes for them. Ben hated having Maya being his little admirer but it was fun to have someone look up to you all the time. Now 13, Ben was more into getting a girlfriend than baby-sitting Aya's kid.
"Here ya go Maya! Don't tell your mom I gave it to you though." Ben said giving her a candy cane.
"OK! Thanks Ben!" Maya squealed happily.
Aya paced back and forth in the kennel. She had planned the perfect gift for Maya and it was almost ready. Wayne picked up the husky puppy and gently lowered it into a box.
"I'm the weapons supervisor... not the kennel supervisor!!" Wayne whined.
Aya laughed. It was quite a sight to see Wayne battle with the vibrant puppy. He had already changed his shirt twice. "Awww come on Wayne! Maggie went home to Italy to visit her family on Christmas so I need you! You're doing a great job!"
Wayne mumbled and finished the loose bow on the neck of the puppy.. he put the lid on the box and left it cracked. Aya thanked Wayne and headed upstairs. She found Ben tied to the chair with the telephone cord. Aya laughed again.
"Maya's trademark. Don't leave her unattended.. she gets you every time." Aya giggled.
"What's in the box anyway?" Ben asked trying to lean forward.
Aya pressed her fingers to her lips and pushed the box under the tree. Maya ran up from behind her and hugged Aya's legs almost knocking her over.
"When can we open presents mommy?" Maya looked up giving Aya those pathetic eyes.
Aya bent down and picked Maya up. "In a minute. We have to wait for everyone to come upstairs so we can all open them together."
Maya jumped out of her mother's arms and ran over to Ben who was still tied to a chair. Ben squirmed as Maya untangled the phone cord and set him free. "Merry Christmas Ben! From me to you!" Ben rolled his eyes and gave Maya a big hug.
Everyone gathered in the office. Gifts were passed around and Maya made it priority number one to see if Ben got anything good. Aya dragged the large box out into the center.
"Maya.. you have one more!" Aya shouted.
"Hmm? Another one?" Maya walked over to the box puzzled. "But I counted a few minutes ago and I only had ten and I opened all of them."
"I guess you counted wrong hunny there's one more." Aya tugged at the red bow.
Maya slowly lifted the top off and looked in. "But mommy.. there's nothing in here." Maya said.
"No.. there should be something in there." Aya explained.
"Damnit! I just can't win with you can't I?!?!" Wayne bent over and picked up a furry husky puppy that had taken the liberty of giving his shoes a long overdue bath.
Maya's eyes bugged out when Wayne placed the puppy in her arms. The only dogs she was familiar with were the ones that were in the kennel downstairs. She had never touched them because they weren't allowed to have friends that would ruin their training. "Is.. this puppy for me mommy? Maya stuttered out.
"She's all yours hunny! She just needs a name!"
Maya thought for a second. She had always like one specific girl's name. She never knew how the name came about.. she just liked it. It was simple.. yet complicated. It was heard often.. yet still uncommon. The name meant more than she understood but yet she loved it and swore that if she ever had a daughter of her own or a dog she would name it that... whichever came first.
"Eve. That's her name. Eve. Eve the puppy!" Maya spoke proudly.
Daniel braced himself against the door of his office. Aya nearly fainted. Everyone in the precinct went deathly silent. The puppy's bark brought everyone out of their trance.
Aya fell to her knees in front of Maya. "Why? Why that name?"
"What's wrong with it. I always like that name. It's just really pretty." Maya spoke confused.
"No, think of another name." Aya insisted.
"No mommy! I like that name! Please... Pretty please?!?!" Maya begged.
Aya sighed in defeat. "Eve it is... but where did you get that name from?"
Maya frowned. "I heard it.... when I was asleep mommy. Wanna hear my dream?"
Aya picked up Melissa and sat her on a desk. "Go ahead. We all want to hear."
Maya hugged her puppy tight and began.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya's Dream
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya walked into the hall in an elegant gown covered in crystal sequins. She must've been somewhere between eighteen and twenty years of age. Maya wrapped her fingers around a diamond locket her mother had given her. She studied the empty fireplace for a few minutes. It looked so cold and unfriendly. Then the most beautiful music started playing. and Maya got the urge to dance. She danced all around the room totally engrossed in the song playing before her. She stopped and met eyes with a woman around her age. They had the same Emerald eyes and the same hair. They almost looked alike.
"Nice to finally see you again Maya." The person spoke out. "My name is Eve. You dance beautifully. Can I dance with you?
Maya was a little taken back by the woman's frankness. She had just met her and yet she wanted to dance with her. "All right Eve. I'll dance with you." Maya spoke barely above a whisper.
The two women danced around the room all night. They laughed and made jokes as if they knew each other forever. Maya stopped and eyed the fireplace again.
"What's the matter Maya? You look bothered." Eve said sadly.
"It's not that.. it's just that it's so cold in here. I wish that fireplace would light up so that it wouldn't be so cool in here." Maya moaned.
"I can sing too Maya. I'll sing and you can dance. It will warm you up. I promise" Eve pleaded.
Eve began to sing. Her voice would've rivaled that of any angel. Maya danced around again. She did begin to feel warm. She smiled from the new found warmth and continued to dance. She got locked in a trance and failed to see the flames darting up and all around her. She got warmer and warmer but she continued to dance because she couldn't stop. She finally fell to the floor in an exhausted heap. Eve backed away from her slowly.
Maya managed to pick herself halfway off the floor. "Eve don't go."
Eve spoke slowly while backing away "I don't feel good Maya. Please.. remember my name. Remember me. Please." Eve pleaded while backing away towards the window.
"I promise I will Eve! I promise! Eve!! Lookout!!!" Maya screamed.
It was too late. Eve had fallen through the window. Maya sprinted to the window and looked out but Eve was nowhere to be found. At the bottom of the window sat a puddle of orange slime.
_______________________________________________________________________
Back to reality.....
_______________________________________________________________________
"And I never saw her again." Maya spoke softly.
The precinct had gone silent again. Maya stroked the fur of her new puppy as her mother fell deep in thought. Without notice, everyone got up and filed into Daniel's office. Ben stayed behind with Maya who was more than confused by now.
Aya was the last to walk in. She kept her head down and one would swear that she was fighting back tears. Aya picked up her head and looked at Daniel. He wanted to tell her that Maya wouldn't be a threat but how could he? She obviously knew more than anyone anticipated on her knowing. Maya was a lovable young girl. Naive and gentle. She never hurt anyone and wanted, more than anything, to become a police woman like her mother.
Aya sat in the nearest chair and continued thinking. She didn't want to hear what was about to be said. She wouldn't give up Maya if it meant her life. Things were normal. Maya was no threat. She was a little girl and that's all. Aya swore to herself that she would let nothing harm her daughter and that was all there was to it.
"Aya... what are you going to do?" One of the officers asked her.
"Well for starters, I'm going to take her home. It's way past her bedtime."
Daniel pounded on his desk. "Damnit Aya don't ignore this! She's liable to go on a killing spree like her......"
"Mother? Like her mother Daniel? That little girl thinks I'm her mother! She thinks that I birthed her, I rose her, and I will take her through every step of her life! I AM her mother Daniel!" Aya screamed standing up.
Aya stormed out of the office and pulled on her jacket. Ben walked her and Maya to her car and they took off. Maya tilted her head slightly looking back at Daniel's office window out of the corner of her eyes. Maya smiled slightly and continued petting her puppy.
Chapter 3: Confessions
_______________________________________________________________________
(2 years later) January 6th 2005 Maya's Birthday.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya helped her mother pick up the remains of what was once Aya's beautiful apartment. Aya sighed as she rearranged her crystal collection.. or what was left of it. Maya walked down the line picking up shattered glass and broken dishes. Eve ate anything edible on the floors and on the couch. Maya tugged on her collar and gave the dog a disapproving look. Eve whined and made her way to Aya's bedroom where she knocked a few cups off of Aya's bed and lounged comfortably.
"It seems like they didn't manage to make it to the closet and the bathroom." Ben said rubbing the back of his neck. "You really should have put your valuables in a safer place other than the top of all the cabinets Aya."
Aya rolled her eyes and scowled. "Well I didn't expect that fifty-eight seven year olds were going to run rampant in a New York Penthouse!" Aya moaned while picking up what was left of coffee table.
A woman appeared in the front door and shook her umbrella into the hallway.
"Well next time rent out a hall and get some animal tamers to keep those little monsters down." The woman said.
"AUNTIE KAI!!!!" Maya jumped up knocking over the rest of the cake. Aya fell to her knees and sighed as soon as she heard the voice. Her aunt was a true nag. Mrs. Swift definitely knew how to scold anyone that made a stupid mistake. Maya glomped her grand aunt for dear life while Aya tried to ignore her aunt's severe tongue lashing.
Aya finally stood up and gave her aunt an icy stare. "Kai, it's always so pleasant to hear what you have to say. Please oh please grace me with more of your bitchery! Please! While I'm still young enough to hear it!" Aya dragged out with a wickedly sarcastic tone.
"Yes dear I could pick a fight with you today.. but I see you have your hands full." Mrs. Swift said kneeling down to help her clean off the carpet. "So Maya, did you enjoy your birthday party?"
"YEA AUNTIE KAI!! It was great! All my friends came and they brought their friends and mommy let them jump on the couch!!"
"I did not!!!" Aya shouted from he kitchen
"Well we did it anyway! Then we danced and guess what?!?! I ate three pieces of cake and didn't get sick! And this fat boy named Jeremy ate four pieces of cake and threw up on mommy's bed."
"FOR GOD SAKES EVE STOP LICKING THAT!! GET OFF MY BED!!" Aya argued dragging the 157lb husky off her bed. "Maya I told you you have to stop giving her so many treats!!!"
"Sorry mommy!" Maya shouted nearly deafening her dear grand aunt.
"So you had a good time?" Her grand aunt asked. "It's a shame.. cause I brought you something just in case you didn't have such a good time. Your mother is no fun. I thought she would kill all the fun so I came prepared."
Maya paused. "Well I didn't have that much fun! I had a lot of fun.. but not a lot, a lot of fun!" Maya lied while showing her grand aunt what a lot a lot looks like.
Maya's grand aunt pulled a large box out of her shopping bag and rested it in front of the little girl. Maya tore at the paper eagerly for about then seconds before shrieking in pure delight. Aya darted into the living room with her gun ready.
"What the hell was that?!?!?!" she said clicking off the safety.
"That would be the sound of an excited grand niece. Age 7... just getting the doll of her dreams." Aya's aunt said smiling contentedly.
Maya wasted no time undoing the hooks and twist ties and in two seconds she held the doll in her lap in adoration. She turned back and looked at her mother. She gave her a confused look when she saw the gun. Aya hid it behind her back.
"Geesh mommy! You gave me a really awesome present too! You don't have to shoot Auntie Kai because I like her present as much as I like yours!" Maya scolded her mother giving her grand aunt great pride.
"No it's not that!! I just.. you see I.... ummmm... I'm sorry." Aya said returning to her room and placing the gun back in a safe place. She rejoined her family in the living room and helped them clean up the mess.
11p.m came around faster than they realized and the house was finally back to normal. Aya and her aunt would have to make a trip to the nearest IKEA in the morning. Maya was sprawled out on the living room floor, sleeping, with her doll in one arm and her Eve's head in the other.
Aya set down two glasses of wine for her and her aunt and sat down at the kitchen table.
"When are you going to tell her Aya? She'll ask soon you know."
Aya ran her fingers through her hair and cringed at her aunt's comment. "In due time Kai. But how do I tell her her mother was a mutant that gave birth to Armageddon himself and her father took off and doesn't even know her name? How can I tell that sweet little girl that I'm not her mother. That she's inherited her mother's unstable body and can burn things at will" How do I say 'Honey, I'll probably have to kill one day because you'll try to continue where your mother left off.'" Aya whispered. "It's hard looking at her every morning knowing that her abilities are only getting more powerful and that she will regain knowledge through her dreams." Aya sipped the wine.
"Just be strong. You'll have to lie about this lie she's living now. Tell her that her mother was sick and passed away. She was left in the care of a grandmother that eventually passed on and you took her into custody. Her father was not found. And you shouldn't have to explain any more." Her aunt explained twirling the glass.
"She'll want names... backgrounds... she's a smart girl. She won't take that for an answer." Aya frowned.
"But you have to give her some kind of explanation.. it's better that she knows from a young age other than you traumatizing her when she's eighteen. She just might...... you know.. freak out." Her aunt narrowed her eyes at the thought of Aya running into battle to kill her grand niece. Mrs. Swift would never admit it. But she adored the two and couldn't fathom them fighting a battle where one would die. The victor being Aya but, nevertheless, a grand niece that she loved as if it were Aya's birth child. She stood up, said goodnight and went to bed in the guest room.
Aya tilted her chair back on two legs and took some time to think. She thought of Maya.. mutating... evolving. She imagined herself running into that battle and having to use Maeda's bullets to shoot and kill her daughter..... daughter... daughter....... Aya pictured herself giving into Maya and surrendering just so she wouldn't have to shoot her. She could hear Daniel and Ben and her aunt crying. She felt their pain. She saw the world crumble before her. She could see babies crying and children being slaughtered mercilessly. At the hands... of her daughter.
Aya released the chair letting it fall back on all four legs. She sobbed in short fits and buried her head in her folded arms. She cried so hard it hurt. She cried until she felt five tiny fingers brushing over her arm. She sat up quickly in defense. "Maya.. it's just you" she said wiping her eyes and trying to smile.
Maya brushed back her mother's hair and gave her a concerned look. "Mommy, why were you crying?" Maya rested her head against her mother's chest and gave her a warm hug.
"Nothing.. I just felt really sad for a minute. But I feel better!" Aya tried to smile again while sniffling. "Can I tell you something Maya?"
"Mm hmm. You can tell me anything mommy." Maya said still hugging her
"Maya...... I... I love you OK? No matter what anyone says.. no matter what anyone tells you. I love you. You mean everything to me and I swear to you I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise OK?"
Maya let go of her mother and looked at her. "I love you too mommy.. but why are you saying this now?"
Aya turned her head.. she tried to build up enough strength to at least say half of what was to come next. She turned back to Maya and brushed her bangs out of her face. "Maya... I'm not your real mommy... I mean.. I am.. but another lady had you. She got really sick and she passed away. You were sent to live with your grandmother. Your grandmother........ also passed away and they took you to the precinct. I told them I would take you into custody. And so you became mine."
Maya narrowed her eyes at her mother. "I'm..... not .... yours?" Maya said with a hint of hurt in her voice. "Not your real daughter?" Maya said trying not to cry.
Aya broke down again. She held Maya tight trying not to look at the hurt her daughter was going through. Maya responded by wrapping her arms around her mom.
"I don't care." Maya said softly.
Aya held her an arms length away. She looked at Maya in shock.
"You're a good mommy. But a bad liar......." Maya frowned a little bit but smiled again.
Aya rested her back on her lap. "Liar?" Aya asked.
"Eve comes to me in my dreams every night. She told me a lot of things. I don't know if I believe them all. She told me about my dad and stuff. She said that I could do amazing things."
"Listen to me! They were just dreams! Nothing more! Do you hear me?! This Eve in your dreams is just something made up in your sleep!" Aya protested
"No mommy. I know she's not real but I know that she tells me a lot of things that you don't. Like how that girl got burnt the first day of kingdergarden... and why I get hot sometimes." Maya spoke dragging every word out while being totally absorbed in something out the window. "I don't want to do those things though mommy. I want to be like you. I want to live like you."
Aya wrapped her arms around Maya again. "You're such a good girl Maya. There are still things I'm sure you don't know about. In time.. you'll learn everything." Aya kissed Maya on the forehead. "You should get some sleep Maya. Try to have sweet dreams about your birthday party. No more dreaming about Eve OK?"
Maya jumped out of her bed early the next morning. Mrs. Swift was already in the kitchen making a second stack of chocolate chip pancakes. She rested the plate on the table and pretended not to see Maya. Maya sat herself at the table well aware of her grand aunt's game. Her grand aunt picked up the spatula and flipped a pancake high over her shoulder. Maya yawned and shifted her plate a little to the right. The pancake landed perfectly on the plate
"Aunty Kai.. that's getting so old!" Maya pleaded
Mrs. Swift continued to ignore her and flipped another pancake over her shoulder. Maya shifted the plate to the left allowing another pancake to land on top of the other.
"Sooooo old." Maya sang to herself.
"Heads up missy!"
Maya was to late. She tried to move but it was over. Maya pulled the pancake off her head and sighed in defeat. She was good but auntie Kai came up with a new trick every time.
Aya walked into the kitchen to see her daughter pulling hair off her pancake and her aunt doing what looked like the macarena in front of the stove.
"Sit down and eat Aya we have a big day ahead of us. I made your favorite! Pancakes!" Mrs. Swift chirped.
"I hate pancakes.. always have.. always will" Aya said sounding like she looked.. like hell.
"No.. you just don't like regular pancakes princess! Don't worry! Auntie made your favorite!" Mrs. Swift sang.
Aya frowned... too tired to put up a legitimate fight. "I can't favor something I don't like Aun-tie!" Aya said through gritted teeth.
Mrs. Swift placed a plate of pancakes shaped like hearts and diamonds on Aya's placemat. You'll eat them if they look appealing. You're a princess. Did you know that missy? You won't go near something unless it looks appealing."
Aya would've responded if she didn't have half a heart shaped pancake in her mouth. She was busy digging into a diamond shape one as Maya watched her in awe and Mrs. Swift nodded her head in an "I told you so" manner.
"How DO you DO that Auntie??? She won't go near them.. she won't even go near IHOP!!" Maya exclaimed.
"I'm took her in after her mother passed.. I know everything." Her grand aunt said with a proud smile on her face.
Aya slid her fork across her teeth as she finished the last bite of her pancakes. She stood up, gave Maya a big grin and continued into the bathroom. She, indeed, had a big day ahead of her. With well over four hundred dollars worth of damage done to her house she wasn't in for an easy day. Maya decided she's go to the precinct and hang out with Ben who had gotten a weekend job there filing papers and answering the lobby phone. Some believed that Maya liked Ben while others were confident that she just knew how to annoy the hell out of him and that's every kid's most favorite pastime.
Chapter 4: Old Enemies and Misplaced Hatred
_______________________________________________________________________
January 7th 2005 2:30 p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya watched Daniel move across the office slowly. She never really talked to him. He didn't spend much time talking to her either. They were afraid of each other and they made it obvious. Aya knew that Daniel still held hate for Eve for what she did to Lorraine. Maya just felt his coldness every time she entered a room he was in. Ben made it a priority to stay in between them at all times. Ben had moved on, knowing that Maya wasn't like her mother and would never do something like that. Ben even took her to visit Lorraine's grave a few times. Each time the girl would place a brand new rose she bought from the flower shop on her block. Maya was picky about her roses. They had to be perfect. Lorraine deserved the best in her eyes. Lorraine must have been quite a woman to put up with Daniel's attitude for so many years... or so she thought.
Maya danced around the office with Eve at her heels. Eve wasn't considered a dog. Wayne was convinced that Maya thought, more than anything, that that dog was human. Wayne, on the other hand, knew that Eve was a "damn dog" and nothing more. Eve made sure to dedicate at least ten minutes of her free time to peeing on Wayne's shoes and chewing anything in her reach every time she visited.
One time Daniel stepped on Eve's tail causing the dog to yelp as if she had just gotten shot. Maya almost threw the door off it's hinges trying to rescue her dog. Maya wrapped her arms around Eve's neck and glared at Daniel. Daniel ran into his office, closed and locked the door. Maya just watched his door in unspoken rage for about five minutes. Ben picked her up off the floor and changed her mood instantly by offering to take her and Eve to the park to get ice cream.
Aya didn't really notice them two. She was either wrapped up in what Daniel was doing or what Maya was doing. She never spoke to them at the same time since the first time she met Maya.
_______________________________________________________________________
January 7th 2005 12:45am (Maya's Dreams)
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya sat in a large elegant throne. She leaned to one side and held her head up with her hand. She looked deep in thought.. almost sad. She was definitely waiting for something or someone. Maya frowned and sighed as the shutters blew open and Eve stepped in gracefully.
"I kept you waiting.. I'm sorry." Eve said lowering her head.
Maya refused to look at her. "Why were you late?" Maya said with a harsh tone.
"I couldn't find you. You had your mind on other things, it wasn't clear like usual. So I had to look for you. Please forgive me." Eve said bowing her head again and crossing her hands.
Maya turned and smiled at Eve. "I wasn't upset... just kidding!" Maya pushed herself off the throne and adjusted her gown so that the train would not trip her. "I could never be upset with you! Besides, you're my real mom right?" Maya smiled at her
"Of course dear. Now.. what do you want to know about yourself. Ask anything. I promise I will explain."
Maya stood ramrod straight and thought for a second. She had a question. But she avoided it for years. She was afraid of the answer. But tonight was the night she was going to put her mind at ease. It was time she knew about Daniel. "OK. I want to know what Daniel hates me so much. Why does he act like I killed his wife or something?" Maya said cocking an eyebrow.
Eve laughed. "You're right. Well, in a sense anyway." Eve said twirling her thumbs.
"That means?" Maya said giving her a rather blank look. She hated Eve's mind games.
"It means that I killed his stupid wife!" Eve said doubling over and laughing hysterically.
"You did what?! But why? How? When?!" Maya said holding her heart. "Did she at least deserve it?"
"Well did the rest of them?" Eve commented walking along the walls to the fireplace. She turned her head and looked up at Maya. "None of them did I guess. I did it for the sake of our mitochondria evolution process. I was simply giving back what belonged to them.. this earth." Eve turned her whole body and looked at Maya. "Don't you think they deserved it Maya?"
Maya studied her hands "Well I don't know... I mean.. I guess so. It's just that Lorraine was a good person. Ben told me all about her. She seemed like such a great person.. I wanted to meet her."
Eve walked back to Maya and held her hand. "They were weak. Not like you and me Maya. Lorraine was weak also. She might have had a nice personality.. but nothing was to stand in the way of my mission. And I almost succeeded. I would've taken you Maya. We would've lived together happily. That was my soul purpose. I didn't dare mention you to anyone.. I didn't want you to be taken away. But I was killed and so was the Ultimate Being." Eve said sighing in defeat.
"I do want to live a normal life though, Eve. I don't really desire to take over the world. I like it the way it is. I like Ben and my mom and my grand aunt. I like the way Wayne always yells at my puppy and the way the lady in the lobby let's me help her make photo copies. I like things simple. World domination is not really my thing... I want to be a..." Maya paused
"Police officer." Eve finished. "I guess I wouldn't have forced you to be different if you didn't want to. What matters is that you're happy. I would like to see a few people pay but I failed and I shouldn't bring you down because of it. It's not your fault."
Maya turned her head towards the mirror and gazed into her green eyes. "And my burning habits?"
Eve stood behind her and rested her head on Maya's shoulder. "They'll stay with you forever. It's a gift.. but you can control it. When you feel yourself getting warm just get up and go." Eve spoke softly. "We look so much alike." Eve spoke brushing Maya's bangs out of her face. Almost exact. They won't realize that until you're about eighteen." Eve smiled at the though.
Chapter 5: Reposessed
________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, March 26th 2014 8:35am
________________________________________________________________________
Maya bounded down the stairs tripping on the third step and falling the rest of the way down. "I am SO unbelievably late!!" She dashed into the kitchen and picked up a slice of toast, kissed her mom goodbye and sprinted out the kitchen door to the rehearsal hall.
Aya leaned back against the counter and sighed. Maya had taken an interest in choir and singing. Aya wanted to be a supportive mother but she was turning more and more into Melissa everyday. It got scary after a while. She turned around and faced her aunt. "I don't want to hear it Kai. I'm not feeling well this morning.
Mrs. Swift gave Aya the evil eye and walked to the bathroom for her medication. Aya moved into a house in upstate NY. She still worked at the precinct. Daniel retired and Ben was working as a full time cop to support his wife and twin daughters. Maya worked there after school because she knew the precinct backwards and forwards.
Everyone thought that Aya's move was a little unnecessary but she said she had her reasons. Maya, for one, needed to go to a special school. She seemed to learn too quickly and it resulted in her making trouble in class to pass the time. Aya enrolled her in Richmond's School for the Gifted. It was a private school that worked with prodigies and kids with the ability to put their photographic memories to full use. Maya seemed to be doing good. She made honor roll and passed several academic competitions. It seemed that she was too smart for the school but she couldn't just stop going.
Maya was closely connected to a girl she met the first day of school. Sharon was like Maya except that she couldn't think half as fast as Maya could. Sharon sang and got Maya into singing. They would sing in front of Maya's mirror for hours. Aya tried to get her into sports and other recreational activities but Maya seemed to make time for all of them and choir.
*****************
Maya stood in the church and studied the statue of the Virgin Mary. She waited for Sharon to come and they would walk to the practice as usual, talking about last night's episode of their favorite show.
Sharon didn't show up though. Maya glanced at her watch twice. She looked over her shoulder only to find Daniel sitting in one of the pews watching her from afar.
"You following me Daniel?" Maya sneered. Her silent battle with Daniel had only turned worse over the years. Maya now speaking her mind and Daniel being a bit more insensitive about Maya's predicament.
"No.. I actually came here to pay respects to my dead wife... what were you planning to do? Burn the chapel to cinders and ruin the only memories I have left of her?" Daniel stared daggers into the younger girl's green eyes.
"Good idea." Maya narrowed her eyes. "Don't test me Daniel.. I don't know why you blame me for your *EX-wife's* inhumane demise but I don't have time to sit here prove myself to you." Maya slung her bag over her shoulders and continued on "I'll be on my way if you don't mind sir.. may I please have a head start if you're going to follow me once again?"
Daniel gritted his teeth.. "If only your mother...... wasn't... so ......." Daniel spun around and left out the entrance opposite to Maya's.
Maya walked across the street in rage. She was tired of being insulted for something she didn't so. A crime she never committed. She was little sick of being called the "human torch" or the "flame freak" by Daniel. She had had enough of his childish behavior. He was going to have to learn that you don't cross someone more powerful than you. She continued across the street looking up for only a second before...
everything went black.
Maya sat up in the hospital bed and rubbed her throbbing head. She came face to face with a very concerned Aya. She looked at her mom and smiled. Aya locked Maya in a bone crunching hug.
"My baby!! You poor thing!! Does it hurt? Lemme see!" Aya pulled Maya away, looked at her, and locked her in the tight hug again. "You're so lucky you let your backpack break some of your fall!!! I was so worried!!"
Maya pressed her hands against her mother's torso and pushed her off gently. "I think your hug hurt more mom." Maya smiled and wiped her mother's tears away. "Honestly mommy, I feel fine.. but who hit me?"
Aya sat on the end of the bed. She looked worried again. "Daniel." Aya turned around and placed her hands up defensively "But it was an accident!! He wasn't watching where he was going! Maya I promise you.. this has nothing to do with the fact that you two don't like each other."
Maya didn't say anything.. instead she motioned for her mother to leave and she went to sleep. She was sure it was no accident. Everything happened so fast but she swore to herself that instead of hearing brakes screeching she could hear the car speeding up.. as if it was going to run her over.
Maya was able to leave the hospital after two days. She didn't speak much. She was always in deep thought. She barely ate. She hardly slept and her best friend couldn't even get through to her. Her mind was set on one thing. Payback. Aya was keeping close watch over Maya. Things were really wrong and Maya's fire habits were starting to slip. Aya could feel herself growing hot sometimes.. times when a car could be heard screeching or when anyone said Sergeant of officer.
________________________________________________________________________
Monday, March 28th, 2014 1:32 am
________________________________________________________________________
Maya slipped her boots on as quietly as she could. Eve was ready and standing at attention. Maya creeped out her back window and hopped on her bike. It was going to be a long ride but rage only gave her more energy than ever before. She pedaled as hard as she could with Eve right behind her. She would stop every once in a while to let the dog catch her breath and she started up again.
Maya finally made it to the apartment. She stood up and glared at the window. The lights were all off and there was no sign of activity. Maya slid her key to the building through the machine and pushed the door opened. She made her way to the top floor and pressed herself against the door. She slid the key into the apartment and opened the door silently. Maya removed Eve's collar and crept into the apartment stealthily. She stopped and peeked in the room. Ben tossed in his bed and pulled his covers higher up. She smiled gently. Maya flashed back for a second:
~*~Ben handed Maya a rose on her 16th birthday. She was a little disappointed because Aya had to work that Friday. (As orders per Daniel). Ben sat with her at home. Her birthday party wouldn't take place till Saturday so her and Ben threw a little party of their own since Ben would have to work on Saturday. They rented movies and ordered pizza. They told creepy stories and the latest gossip that was going in in school. They talked about teachers and how their parents are weird and how they both wanted to grow up to be police officers and if they both graduate from the academy that they would be partners and stuff. The night had ended soon and Ben had to go home to get ready for work the next morning so he gave Maya a big hug and told her to cheer up. Then he tilted her chin back and kissed her gently on the lips and told her to get some sleep. Maya blushed all they way to her room and went to sleep with a smile on her face. ~*~
Maya pressed herself against the wall again, touching her lips one last time. She would always remember that kiss.. it would be her last from Ben because she was about to do something guaranteed to make Ben hate her forever. Maya slipped through the shadows and pressed her hand against Daniel's bedroom door. She glanced in. He wasn't there... He wasn't there?
"He isn't here?" Maya asked to herself quietly.
"Not exactly.. had some late night work to do at the office before I came home."
Maya spun around totally surprised. Daniel was staring menacingly at her.
"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked grabbing her shoulder. "How did you get in?"
"You did it on purpose... you tried to hit me.. YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!!!" Maya screamed.
The windows flew open. A storm had started. Lightning and thunder struck. The rain was coming down hard.
"I didn't try to....."
"SILENCE!!!" Maya spoke but her voice was broken... as if she was speaking but another person was speaking with her.
Maya held her hand up as Daniel walked towards her. Her eyes began to glow. She was furious. She was beyond furious. She had met a new level of rage. She could feel she body losing control. Someone was taking control of her actions. Someone was trying to use her body to get revenge.
Maya's green eyes lit up the room. Her voice became clearer.. not her own.. but clearer. She grabbed her head and embraced the pain. Daniel watched in horror as Maya started to look more and more like... Eve.
"You tried to kill my daughter. You wanted to take the only thing that mattered to me away. You helped kill me.. now you go after my child.... NO! YOU DIE!!!!!!"
Maya extended her hand as far is it could go. She brought her middle and ring finger together and spread out the rest of her fingers. Daniel fall to his knees as the room started to get hotter. He saw the flames leap out from nowhere. He was surrounded by it. Daniel choked on the smoke. He coughed in a desperate attempt to clear his lungs.
Ben rubbed his eyes. He found it harder and harder to breathe. He walked out of his room but had to jump back in as the flames burns his doorway to cinders. He made a running leap through the doorway.
"Maya stop it!!!! STOP IT!!!!" Ben pleaded
The broken voice came back. Maya was speaking through eve now. "He tried to kill me. He will pay." Ben backed up and ran out of the apartment. He made it to the closest pay phone and tried to call Aya but no one was answering. He turned back to run into the apartment. He grabbed the fire extinguisher in the hallway and kicked in the door. Daniel was still gasping for breath. Aya darted in after him.
"But.. you were.... How did you know to come?" Ben asked confused.
"I followed her after she left Ben.. She's my daughter.. I just know when something is going to go wrong." Aya said
Aya dropped Maeda's gun on the table at the door and walked into the apartment.
"Ben stay out.. if she loses control she'll burn everything.. including you."
Ben backed out of the doorway. Aya approached Maya slowly. "Maya.. ENOUGH OF THIS NOW!!!!"
The girl laughed. "Maya is with me now. She has her real mother .. she doesn't need you!"
Aya growled. "She's my child!!"
"WRONG!!" Eve laughed.
Daniel was starting to lose consciousness. Eve was planning on killing him slowly. She would choke him to death. Aya had no choice but to pick up the gun she has dropped.
"Maya please.. don't make me do this...."
Eve glared at her "you wouldn't dare......."
"Don't try me Eve." Aya spoke monotone
Eve threw her head back and laughed.
Aya released the safety. She positioned the gun.. aimed.... and pulled the trigger.
The fired died down.
Eve stood there clutching her abdomen. Her eyes were wide in shock. She pulled her hands away and watched the blood coat her hands in red. She looked up at Aya and laughed.
"You would kill your own daughter?" Eve said laughing
"No, but I would kill yours..." Aya said silently.
"I don't understand..." Eve said starting to feel herself become weak.
"You're right she was never mine. I tried but she was never mine...." Aya said lowering her head. "As long as you are in her... she will have to die. Be it now.. or later... I would have to kill her."
"ARE YOU SAYING YOU NEVER LOVED HER?!?!?!"
"THINK EVE!!! You of all people should remember!!! That night.. Her birthday Nine years ago! I told her she wasn't mine.. I told her I loved her and that I would never let harm come to her. And that night she asked me to promise her something...."
~*~ "Mommy?" Maya said walking back to the table where her mother sat. "Mommy make me a promise."
"All right.. what's the promise"
"Promise me, that if I ever do anything wrong.. that if Eve ever tried to take over my body .. if I ever brought harm to anyone... intentionally.. you would stop me. Any way you had to.. Promise me that you would be the one to kill me."
"I could never.. do such a thing!"
Maya grabbed her mother's hands. "Listen.. if something were to happen to me... Eve would take over... and I would have to submit myself to her. I would be lost.. I would be dead already. It would be her in my body." ~*~
Aya watched as Eve fell to the ground... "Do you remember the night in the hospital Eve?"
~*~ The doctor scratched his head. "I don't understand.. two minutes ago Maya Brea was considered clinically dead."
The other doctor stood baffled "You did nothing to revive her?"
The first doctor spoke again. "We tried everything. She flat lined and we covered her up. I called for the coroner and when the coroner came in they said she was sitting up in the bed rubbing her eyes"
The second doctor took a seat "That is most peculiar."~*~
So you see Eve. My daughter died.. but your soul found it's opportunity to come back. It was all about waiting now Eve. It hurt me to pull that trigger. I looked you in the eyes one last time.. and I shot you. Not MY daughter.. I lost my daughter back at that hospital.
"You're........ too.. smart... Brea......." Eve extended her hand.
Aya held her hand until she died. Ben called the ambulance and Daniel was taken to the hospital. He got out with a few minor burns. Ben had to get his fist bandaged from breaking the glass to get the extinguisher.
They all had damages.. but Aya's was far worse. The loss of a child is never easy. But how do you get over something .....you never really had?
~Dynna Chae~
Chapter One... The Pleasures of Motherhood
Announcer: It's been three moths since the tragedy in New York and scientists are still flocking to Liberty Island in hopes of ........
Aya cut off the television and walked out onto her balcony. She looked over the city wondering where she went from here. Ever since she fought Eve she really had nothing to do. She sat around the office and just wrote reports and went to countless interviews. Aya looked at her watch.
"10:00 p.m...." she perked her ears. A baby's cry could be heard cutting through the silence in her apartment. "right on time."
Aya walked over to the blue bassinet that sat beside her bed and traced her finger along the fancy lace. She picked up the baby resting inside and bottle fed her humming a soft lullaby she remembered her mother singing to her. The baby gazed into Aya's eyes lovingly.
"A name like Maya.... why would your mother give you such a name?"
...............
Aya placed sleeping baby Maya back in the bassinet and pulled the covers up to her chin. She found it harder and harder to look into Maya's eyes every day. Those emerald eyes. Such beautiful eyes. Aya lied back on her bed and rested her arms behind her head.
"You've been with me for a month now baby Maya. I remember the day I rescued you."
_______________________________________________________________________
One Month ago, today. March 17th, 1998 8:45pm _______________________________________________________________________
Aya pulled up to Melissa's burnt apartment. She wasn't ready to let the case rest until she found out what Eve meant. Aya figured she might as well start at the beginning. The apartment would make for lousy evidence.. but any evidence was good enough right now. Aya pushed the charred door opened and saw what must have been the living room at one time.
"You'll defeat me... but you won't hurt her. Your downfall will be your heart Aya." Aya let Eve's words sing in her head as she inspected the apartment from top to bottom. As she suspected, she came up empty handed. She did, though, find a melted baby bottle resting on the burnt coffee table. Aya ignored the bottle and decided to leave.
**Could those words be true? They came in a dream. Does that mean that what Eve said to me is necessarily true?**
Back at headquarters Aya made her way to Daniel's office. Daniel had done little to personalize the office. He didn't even change Baker's name tag on the desk. Daniel was holding a small baby with green eyes. Emerald to be exact.
"Baby-sitting Daniel?" Aya laughed.
"I wish it were the case.. I wish this was even amusing Aya. We have a real problem here." Daniel spoke low.
"What's the prob?" Aya said leaning herself against a chair and cleaning the soot off her boots.
"Would you believe me if I told you this was Melissa's baby?" Daniel said giving Aya a rather disturbing look
Aya almost fell off the chair on that last comment. "You're kidding me right"
Daniel began "Well it wasn't exactly a given.. but no one doubted her ability to make a baby. They say that she had met someone in the play. They fell in love and she got pregnant. When she told him he took off. His name was Evan Almasay and he took off and moved to another state entirely to get away from her. The baby's name is... Maya Almasay."
"Oh come on!!! You're kidding me!! She's mocking me even after her death! Maya?!" Aya grew angry
Baby Maya began to cry.
"She hasn't stopped crying until you stepped into the office. Aya come look at her. Do you think she has any...... you know.. bad mitochondria in her?" Daniel asked
"Well Klamp never men...."
"The guy wasn't exactly truthful Aya. He wouldn't have told us even if he was alive to do so." Daniel cut her off.
Aya pulled back baby Maya's blankets to get a good look at her.
"How did you get her anyway Daniel?"
"Well that's the other half of the story. When Melissa took ill and the show was nearing she became weary of the baby's well being and sent her to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother was found.... in a burnt down apartment...."
Aya looked down at Maya in pure fear. "No..... no way....... not the baby...."
Daniel nodded "They found the baby resting in a bassinet crying. Around her seemed to be some sort of weird light glowing. There wasn't even a cinder within a ten foot radius of that bassinet. No one can explain anything but we've done all we can to keep this a secret. We don't need world wide hysteria again"
Aya took the baby in her arms. "Daniel... if this is the case... if this baby can do what her mother did... she would have to be...."
"Killed.." Daniel finished. "We've considered that already. It's not high on my list of do's but it's the only thing we can think of."
"What if..... I were to take her? She can't hurt me." Aya spoke rocking the baby in her arms.
"That's not even an option... she dies or we ship her off to some fireproof lab in Sweden.. that's our options Aya." Daniel spoke defensively.
"As if that would work Daniel! Be realistic here! We're talking about a deadly weapon! She just can't be cut into pieces and experimented on! She's human!" Aya argued holding the baby closer. "No absolutely not! I'll take her.. and if she does anything strange.. I'll report it. She's not like her mother. She's a baby for God sakes! Even if she does have the abilities Eve had she wouldn't know how to use them!"
Daniel put his head in his hands. "Handing this baby to you will be like me murdering you Aya. I just can't do that. Your heart will be your downfall one day."
Aya almost lost her grip on the baby. "What did you say?"
Daniel spoke softly. "I'm sorry.. it's just that you take everything into consideration... I only hope that doesn't kill you one day."
Aya smiled at Daniel. "You worry too much. I will take her. Just believe in me. I've got this.. and if she does manage to use her abilities again.. I'm the only one that can take it. Don't tell anyone about her. We don't want to cause mass confusion. goodnight Daniel."
"Night Aya... Oh! Hey Aya!! Call me if anything strange happens! I mean ANYTHING!" Daniel shouted as she left.
Chapter 2: Firestarter
Aya decided to take the bus home that night. It wasn't safe to let the baby lie in a cop car seat while she drove over the wet roads, slick from the previous shower. Aya rested baby Maya on the bed and studied her. She looked normal enough. Straight brown hair and green eyes. A birthmark on her left shoulder and her ears were already pierced.
_______________________________________________________________________
Present Day April 17th, 1998 10:24p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
The night had been miserable. Baby Maya was sick and nothing good was on TV. She decided to page though a book she picked up from the library earlier. The book was uninteresting. Something just told her to pick it up. Aya soon fell asleep.
_______________________________________________________________________
(5 years later) September 8th, 2003 9:45 am
_______________________________________________________________________
Aya dragged a rather reluctant Maya to school. Maya, dressed in a flowered blue dress and a blue bow, fought tooth and nail. She had gotten Aya a few times but Aya ignored it and managed to drag a screaming Maya into the door or Mrs. Tolom's Kingdergarden class.
"Please!! PLEASE!! Stay wif me!! I don't want to stay!! Please!! Take me to work wif you! I promise I will behave!!!" Maya pleaded
"I can't honey! You have to be a big girl and go to school so one day you can grow up and be a police officer just like me." Aya explained wiping the girl's tears.
"Why?" Maya asked.
"Because little girls go to school and big girls go to work. When you get older you'll understand." Aya said standing up.
"You'll come back for me mommy? Pwomise?" Maya sniffled
"I promise! When the two hands on the clock touch the twelve I'll be here. I'll be right outside.. I promise." Aya spoke adjusting Maya's bow and giving her a big hug goodbye.
"You had better!" Maya shouted wiping her eyes.
Aya waved her hand to show Maya she acknowledged her last comment and got in her car. At the precinct Aya thumbed through some unimportant paperwork. She was too excited about Maya's first day at school to really care about work.
Meanwhile, back at the school, Maya had sat in a seat next to a girl with red hair and a pretty red dress on. The class was already in the middle of a coloring session and Maya reached for the red crayon as soon at the same time the little girl did.
"That's my crayon! You can't have it!!" The little girl screamed
"But I need it.. just for a little bit. Please.. it will be all yours when I finish with it." Maya asked politely.
"NO! I WANT IT NOW YOU STUPID GIRL! GIVE IT TO ME!!" The little girl snatched it out of her hands.
Maya got a bit angry.
**Bad people must be punished**
*Hmm?**
**That's why I'm a police officer. I have to go out there and stop bad people. They have to be punished.**
*When I get bigger, can I be a police woman too?*
**You can be anything you want to be.**
*And I will punish people too?*
**Only bad ones.**
Maya glared at the girl in red. She started to feel a bit warm but ignored it and eyed the crayon with anger.
"You're a bad person." Maya hissed
"Huh?" The little girl looked at Maya confused before dropping the crayon and shrieking in nothing short of pure terror. The little girl's paper and dress had caught on fire. Maya sat there and watched in surprise as the fire caught onto her hair. The teacher had called the fire department in a frenzied panic and Maya was moved to safety. The teacher began to roll the little girl on the floor, successfully putting the flames out. But the damage was already done. The girl had severe burn wounds on her legs. Maya only stood back in fear mumbling to herself.
"Maya? Are you OK?" The teacher asked.
"What happened to her?" Maya asked.
The firemen and the police arrived at the same time. Two of the officers escorted all the little children out of the room. Aya pushed her way in and picked up Maya.
"What happened?" Aya asked Maya with a hint of fear in her voice?
"I don't know mommy. That little girl made me mad......." Maya was cut off by Aya covering her mouth.
Aya kicked the door to the girls bathroom opened and sat Maya on the counter. "From the beginning Maya. Tell me everything that happened."
Maya tugged on her dress and began "Well I wanted a red crayon. And the girl took it from me and started yelling at me. Mommy, she was a bad person. She should have been punished and she was. The it got all hot and then I looked at her and her dress and stuff was on fire." Maya started to get teary eyed.
Aya placed a hand on each side of Maya's face. "Listen to me, I don't want you to get angry at people anymore. When people get angry, they say and do things they don't mean. They will hurt other people but sometimes... it's only because they're angry. Do you understand? The next time someone upsets you. You tell a grown up all right?"
Maya nodded slowly.
"Mommy, what happened in there?"
Aya paused for a second. "I don't know honey."
The two girls joined the rest of the class outside. Some of the kids cried as the ambulance pulled off with the little girl inside. The teacher went inside to notify her parents. Maya gripped her mother's hand tighter.
_______________________________________________________________________
The Precinct September 9th, 2003 11:30pm
_______________________________________________________________________
Aya let Maya sit in her desk chair and told her to stay there. Maya spun a few times in the chair while Aya closed the door behind herself in Daniel's office.
Aya pressed her back against the door of the office and sighed. "I didn't want to believe that it would happen, but it is Daniel. I can't lose her." Aya rested her head in her hands and shook all over.
"She unintentionally lighted the girl on fire? She'll become aware that she can do this eventually Aya. She's going to be a threat."
"No Daniel!! I know she's different! She won't be anything like her mother! I swear it!"
"And nothing like this has ever happened before Aya?" Daniel asked twirling his coffee mug around.
"No... not at all. She's been fine all this time."
"Or perhaps to you Aya. Remember, your body can't combust. You don't even know if she's tried on you already."
"That's crazy! I've had her for five years! Nothing has happened since now!!"
"And what's going to prove to me that nothing will happen again?" Daniel asked quietly.
"Daniel, what the hell are you getting at?" Aya shouted.
"She needs to stay under constant supervision." Daniel spoke softly.
"This discussion is over!" Aya stood up and pulled the door open. Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Watch your back Aya. She's not stable and I'm worried about you. I guarantee she won't live a normal life. But she at least deserves a mother. Call me if anything goes wrong."
Aya smiled and extended her hand for Maya to come to her. The two walked out of the precinct hand in hand. Maya looked over her shoulder back at Daniel's office window. She smiled contentedly and walked to the car with her mother.
_______________________________________________________________________
Christmas Day: The Precinct 12:45 p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya, decked out in a red Christmas dress lined with white feathers, danced around the Christmas tree while Ben tried to reach a couple of candy canes for them. Ben hated having Maya being his little admirer but it was fun to have someone look up to you all the time. Now 13, Ben was more into getting a girlfriend than baby-sitting Aya's kid.
"Here ya go Maya! Don't tell your mom I gave it to you though." Ben said giving her a candy cane.
"OK! Thanks Ben!" Maya squealed happily.
Aya paced back and forth in the kennel. She had planned the perfect gift for Maya and it was almost ready. Wayne picked up the husky puppy and gently lowered it into a box.
"I'm the weapons supervisor... not the kennel supervisor!!" Wayne whined.
Aya laughed. It was quite a sight to see Wayne battle with the vibrant puppy. He had already changed his shirt twice. "Awww come on Wayne! Maggie went home to Italy to visit her family on Christmas so I need you! You're doing a great job!"
Wayne mumbled and finished the loose bow on the neck of the puppy.. he put the lid on the box and left it cracked. Aya thanked Wayne and headed upstairs. She found Ben tied to the chair with the telephone cord. Aya laughed again.
"Maya's trademark. Don't leave her unattended.. she gets you every time." Aya giggled.
"What's in the box anyway?" Ben asked trying to lean forward.
Aya pressed her fingers to her lips and pushed the box under the tree. Maya ran up from behind her and hugged Aya's legs almost knocking her over.
"When can we open presents mommy?" Maya looked up giving Aya those pathetic eyes.
Aya bent down and picked Maya up. "In a minute. We have to wait for everyone to come upstairs so we can all open them together."
Maya jumped out of her mother's arms and ran over to Ben who was still tied to a chair. Ben squirmed as Maya untangled the phone cord and set him free. "Merry Christmas Ben! From me to you!" Ben rolled his eyes and gave Maya a big hug.
Everyone gathered in the office. Gifts were passed around and Maya made it priority number one to see if Ben got anything good. Aya dragged the large box out into the center.
"Maya.. you have one more!" Aya shouted.
"Hmm? Another one?" Maya walked over to the box puzzled. "But I counted a few minutes ago and I only had ten and I opened all of them."
"I guess you counted wrong hunny there's one more." Aya tugged at the red bow.
Maya slowly lifted the top off and looked in. "But mommy.. there's nothing in here." Maya said.
"No.. there should be something in there." Aya explained.
"Damnit! I just can't win with you can't I?!?!" Wayne bent over and picked up a furry husky puppy that had taken the liberty of giving his shoes a long overdue bath.
Maya's eyes bugged out when Wayne placed the puppy in her arms. The only dogs she was familiar with were the ones that were in the kennel downstairs. She had never touched them because they weren't allowed to have friends that would ruin their training. "Is.. this puppy for me mommy? Maya stuttered out.
"She's all yours hunny! She just needs a name!"
Maya thought for a second. She had always like one specific girl's name. She never knew how the name came about.. she just liked it. It was simple.. yet complicated. It was heard often.. yet still uncommon. The name meant more than she understood but yet she loved it and swore that if she ever had a daughter of her own or a dog she would name it that... whichever came first.
"Eve. That's her name. Eve. Eve the puppy!" Maya spoke proudly.
Daniel braced himself against the door of his office. Aya nearly fainted. Everyone in the precinct went deathly silent. The puppy's bark brought everyone out of their trance.
Aya fell to her knees in front of Maya. "Why? Why that name?"
"What's wrong with it. I always like that name. It's just really pretty." Maya spoke confused.
"No, think of another name." Aya insisted.
"No mommy! I like that name! Please... Pretty please?!?!" Maya begged.
Aya sighed in defeat. "Eve it is... but where did you get that name from?"
Maya frowned. "I heard it.... when I was asleep mommy. Wanna hear my dream?"
Aya picked up Melissa and sat her on a desk. "Go ahead. We all want to hear."
Maya hugged her puppy tight and began.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya's Dream
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya walked into the hall in an elegant gown covered in crystal sequins. She must've been somewhere between eighteen and twenty years of age. Maya wrapped her fingers around a diamond locket her mother had given her. She studied the empty fireplace for a few minutes. It looked so cold and unfriendly. Then the most beautiful music started playing. and Maya got the urge to dance. She danced all around the room totally engrossed in the song playing before her. She stopped and met eyes with a woman around her age. They had the same Emerald eyes and the same hair. They almost looked alike.
"Nice to finally see you again Maya." The person spoke out. "My name is Eve. You dance beautifully. Can I dance with you?
Maya was a little taken back by the woman's frankness. She had just met her and yet she wanted to dance with her. "All right Eve. I'll dance with you." Maya spoke barely above a whisper.
The two women danced around the room all night. They laughed and made jokes as if they knew each other forever. Maya stopped and eyed the fireplace again.
"What's the matter Maya? You look bothered." Eve said sadly.
"It's not that.. it's just that it's so cold in here. I wish that fireplace would light up so that it wouldn't be so cool in here." Maya moaned.
"I can sing too Maya. I'll sing and you can dance. It will warm you up. I promise" Eve pleaded.
Eve began to sing. Her voice would've rivaled that of any angel. Maya danced around again. She did begin to feel warm. She smiled from the new found warmth and continued to dance. She got locked in a trance and failed to see the flames darting up and all around her. She got warmer and warmer but she continued to dance because she couldn't stop. She finally fell to the floor in an exhausted heap. Eve backed away from her slowly.
Maya managed to pick herself halfway off the floor. "Eve don't go."
Eve spoke slowly while backing away "I don't feel good Maya. Please.. remember my name. Remember me. Please." Eve pleaded while backing away towards the window.
"I promise I will Eve! I promise! Eve!! Lookout!!!" Maya screamed.
It was too late. Eve had fallen through the window. Maya sprinted to the window and looked out but Eve was nowhere to be found. At the bottom of the window sat a puddle of orange slime.
_______________________________________________________________________
Back to reality.....
_______________________________________________________________________
"And I never saw her again." Maya spoke softly.
The precinct had gone silent again. Maya stroked the fur of her new puppy as her mother fell deep in thought. Without notice, everyone got up and filed into Daniel's office. Ben stayed behind with Maya who was more than confused by now.
Aya was the last to walk in. She kept her head down and one would swear that she was fighting back tears. Aya picked up her head and looked at Daniel. He wanted to tell her that Maya wouldn't be a threat but how could he? She obviously knew more than anyone anticipated on her knowing. Maya was a lovable young girl. Naive and gentle. She never hurt anyone and wanted, more than anything, to become a police woman like her mother.
Aya sat in the nearest chair and continued thinking. She didn't want to hear what was about to be said. She wouldn't give up Maya if it meant her life. Things were normal. Maya was no threat. She was a little girl and that's all. Aya swore to herself that she would let nothing harm her daughter and that was all there was to it.
"Aya... what are you going to do?" One of the officers asked her.
"Well for starters, I'm going to take her home. It's way past her bedtime."
Daniel pounded on his desk. "Damnit Aya don't ignore this! She's liable to go on a killing spree like her......"
"Mother? Like her mother Daniel? That little girl thinks I'm her mother! She thinks that I birthed her, I rose her, and I will take her through every step of her life! I AM her mother Daniel!" Aya screamed standing up.
Aya stormed out of the office and pulled on her jacket. Ben walked her and Maya to her car and they took off. Maya tilted her head slightly looking back at Daniel's office window out of the corner of her eyes. Maya smiled slightly and continued petting her puppy.
Chapter 3: Confessions
_______________________________________________________________________
(2 years later) January 6th 2005 Maya's Birthday.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya helped her mother pick up the remains of what was once Aya's beautiful apartment. Aya sighed as she rearranged her crystal collection.. or what was left of it. Maya walked down the line picking up shattered glass and broken dishes. Eve ate anything edible on the floors and on the couch. Maya tugged on her collar and gave the dog a disapproving look. Eve whined and made her way to Aya's bedroom where she knocked a few cups off of Aya's bed and lounged comfortably.
"It seems like they didn't manage to make it to the closet and the bathroom." Ben said rubbing the back of his neck. "You really should have put your valuables in a safer place other than the top of all the cabinets Aya."
Aya rolled her eyes and scowled. "Well I didn't expect that fifty-eight seven year olds were going to run rampant in a New York Penthouse!" Aya moaned while picking up what was left of coffee table.
A woman appeared in the front door and shook her umbrella into the hallway.
"Well next time rent out a hall and get some animal tamers to keep those little monsters down." The woman said.
"AUNTIE KAI!!!!" Maya jumped up knocking over the rest of the cake. Aya fell to her knees and sighed as soon as she heard the voice. Her aunt was a true nag. Mrs. Swift definitely knew how to scold anyone that made a stupid mistake. Maya glomped her grand aunt for dear life while Aya tried to ignore her aunt's severe tongue lashing.
Aya finally stood up and gave her aunt an icy stare. "Kai, it's always so pleasant to hear what you have to say. Please oh please grace me with more of your bitchery! Please! While I'm still young enough to hear it!" Aya dragged out with a wickedly sarcastic tone.
"Yes dear I could pick a fight with you today.. but I see you have your hands full." Mrs. Swift said kneeling down to help her clean off the carpet. "So Maya, did you enjoy your birthday party?"
"YEA AUNTIE KAI!! It was great! All my friends came and they brought their friends and mommy let them jump on the couch!!"
"I did not!!!" Aya shouted from he kitchen
"Well we did it anyway! Then we danced and guess what?!?! I ate three pieces of cake and didn't get sick! And this fat boy named Jeremy ate four pieces of cake and threw up on mommy's bed."
"FOR GOD SAKES EVE STOP LICKING THAT!! GET OFF MY BED!!" Aya argued dragging the 157lb husky off her bed. "Maya I told you you have to stop giving her so many treats!!!"
"Sorry mommy!" Maya shouted nearly deafening her dear grand aunt.
"So you had a good time?" Her grand aunt asked. "It's a shame.. cause I brought you something just in case you didn't have such a good time. Your mother is no fun. I thought she would kill all the fun so I came prepared."
Maya paused. "Well I didn't have that much fun! I had a lot of fun.. but not a lot, a lot of fun!" Maya lied while showing her grand aunt what a lot a lot looks like.
Maya's grand aunt pulled a large box out of her shopping bag and rested it in front of the little girl. Maya tore at the paper eagerly for about then seconds before shrieking in pure delight. Aya darted into the living room with her gun ready.
"What the hell was that?!?!?!" she said clicking off the safety.
"That would be the sound of an excited grand niece. Age 7... just getting the doll of her dreams." Aya's aunt said smiling contentedly.
Maya wasted no time undoing the hooks and twist ties and in two seconds she held the doll in her lap in adoration. She turned back and looked at her mother. She gave her a confused look when she saw the gun. Aya hid it behind her back.
"Geesh mommy! You gave me a really awesome present too! You don't have to shoot Auntie Kai because I like her present as much as I like yours!" Maya scolded her mother giving her grand aunt great pride.
"No it's not that!! I just.. you see I.... ummmm... I'm sorry." Aya said returning to her room and placing the gun back in a safe place. She rejoined her family in the living room and helped them clean up the mess.
11p.m came around faster than they realized and the house was finally back to normal. Aya and her aunt would have to make a trip to the nearest IKEA in the morning. Maya was sprawled out on the living room floor, sleeping, with her doll in one arm and her Eve's head in the other.
Aya set down two glasses of wine for her and her aunt and sat down at the kitchen table.
"When are you going to tell her Aya? She'll ask soon you know."
Aya ran her fingers through her hair and cringed at her aunt's comment. "In due time Kai. But how do I tell her her mother was a mutant that gave birth to Armageddon himself and her father took off and doesn't even know her name? How can I tell that sweet little girl that I'm not her mother. That she's inherited her mother's unstable body and can burn things at will" How do I say 'Honey, I'll probably have to kill one day because you'll try to continue where your mother left off.'" Aya whispered. "It's hard looking at her every morning knowing that her abilities are only getting more powerful and that she will regain knowledge through her dreams." Aya sipped the wine.
"Just be strong. You'll have to lie about this lie she's living now. Tell her that her mother was sick and passed away. She was left in the care of a grandmother that eventually passed on and you took her into custody. Her father was not found. And you shouldn't have to explain any more." Her aunt explained twirling the glass.
"She'll want names... backgrounds... she's a smart girl. She won't take that for an answer." Aya frowned.
"But you have to give her some kind of explanation.. it's better that she knows from a young age other than you traumatizing her when she's eighteen. She just might...... you know.. freak out." Her aunt narrowed her eyes at the thought of Aya running into battle to kill her grand niece. Mrs. Swift would never admit it. But she adored the two and couldn't fathom them fighting a battle where one would die. The victor being Aya but, nevertheless, a grand niece that she loved as if it were Aya's birth child. She stood up, said goodnight and went to bed in the guest room.
Aya tilted her chair back on two legs and took some time to think. She thought of Maya.. mutating... evolving. She imagined herself running into that battle and having to use Maeda's bullets to shoot and kill her daughter..... daughter... daughter....... Aya pictured herself giving into Maya and surrendering just so she wouldn't have to shoot her. She could hear Daniel and Ben and her aunt crying. She felt their pain. She saw the world crumble before her. She could see babies crying and children being slaughtered mercilessly. At the hands... of her daughter.
Aya released the chair letting it fall back on all four legs. She sobbed in short fits and buried her head in her folded arms. She cried so hard it hurt. She cried until she felt five tiny fingers brushing over her arm. She sat up quickly in defense. "Maya.. it's just you" she said wiping her eyes and trying to smile.
Maya brushed back her mother's hair and gave her a concerned look. "Mommy, why were you crying?" Maya rested her head against her mother's chest and gave her a warm hug.
"Nothing.. I just felt really sad for a minute. But I feel better!" Aya tried to smile again while sniffling. "Can I tell you something Maya?"
"Mm hmm. You can tell me anything mommy." Maya said still hugging her
"Maya...... I... I love you OK? No matter what anyone says.. no matter what anyone tells you. I love you. You mean everything to me and I swear to you I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise OK?"
Maya let go of her mother and looked at her. "I love you too mommy.. but why are you saying this now?"
Aya turned her head.. she tried to build up enough strength to at least say half of what was to come next. She turned back to Maya and brushed her bangs out of her face. "Maya... I'm not your real mommy... I mean.. I am.. but another lady had you. She got really sick and she passed away. You were sent to live with your grandmother. Your grandmother........ also passed away and they took you to the precinct. I told them I would take you into custody. And so you became mine."
Maya narrowed her eyes at her mother. "I'm..... not .... yours?" Maya said with a hint of hurt in her voice. "Not your real daughter?" Maya said trying not to cry.
Aya broke down again. She held Maya tight trying not to look at the hurt her daughter was going through. Maya responded by wrapping her arms around her mom.
"I don't care." Maya said softly.
Aya held her an arms length away. She looked at Maya in shock.
"You're a good mommy. But a bad liar......." Maya frowned a little bit but smiled again.
Aya rested her back on her lap. "Liar?" Aya asked.
"Eve comes to me in my dreams every night. She told me a lot of things. I don't know if I believe them all. She told me about my dad and stuff. She said that I could do amazing things."
"Listen to me! They were just dreams! Nothing more! Do you hear me?! This Eve in your dreams is just something made up in your sleep!" Aya protested
"No mommy. I know she's not real but I know that she tells me a lot of things that you don't. Like how that girl got burnt the first day of kingdergarden... and why I get hot sometimes." Maya spoke dragging every word out while being totally absorbed in something out the window. "I don't want to do those things though mommy. I want to be like you. I want to live like you."
Aya wrapped her arms around Maya again. "You're such a good girl Maya. There are still things I'm sure you don't know about. In time.. you'll learn everything." Aya kissed Maya on the forehead. "You should get some sleep Maya. Try to have sweet dreams about your birthday party. No more dreaming about Eve OK?"
Maya jumped out of her bed early the next morning. Mrs. Swift was already in the kitchen making a second stack of chocolate chip pancakes. She rested the plate on the table and pretended not to see Maya. Maya sat herself at the table well aware of her grand aunt's game. Her grand aunt picked up the spatula and flipped a pancake high over her shoulder. Maya yawned and shifted her plate a little to the right. The pancake landed perfectly on the plate
"Aunty Kai.. that's getting so old!" Maya pleaded
Mrs. Swift continued to ignore her and flipped another pancake over her shoulder. Maya shifted the plate to the left allowing another pancake to land on top of the other.
"Sooooo old." Maya sang to herself.
"Heads up missy!"
Maya was to late. She tried to move but it was over. Maya pulled the pancake off her head and sighed in defeat. She was good but auntie Kai came up with a new trick every time.
Aya walked into the kitchen to see her daughter pulling hair off her pancake and her aunt doing what looked like the macarena in front of the stove.
"Sit down and eat Aya we have a big day ahead of us. I made your favorite! Pancakes!" Mrs. Swift chirped.
"I hate pancakes.. always have.. always will" Aya said sounding like she looked.. like hell.
"No.. you just don't like regular pancakes princess! Don't worry! Auntie made your favorite!" Mrs. Swift sang.
Aya frowned... too tired to put up a legitimate fight. "I can't favor something I don't like Aun-tie!" Aya said through gritted teeth.
Mrs. Swift placed a plate of pancakes shaped like hearts and diamonds on Aya's placemat. You'll eat them if they look appealing. You're a princess. Did you know that missy? You won't go near something unless it looks appealing."
Aya would've responded if she didn't have half a heart shaped pancake in her mouth. She was busy digging into a diamond shape one as Maya watched her in awe and Mrs. Swift nodded her head in an "I told you so" manner.
"How DO you DO that Auntie??? She won't go near them.. she won't even go near IHOP!!" Maya exclaimed.
"I'm took her in after her mother passed.. I know everything." Her grand aunt said with a proud smile on her face.
Aya slid her fork across her teeth as she finished the last bite of her pancakes. She stood up, gave Maya a big grin and continued into the bathroom. She, indeed, had a big day ahead of her. With well over four hundred dollars worth of damage done to her house she wasn't in for an easy day. Maya decided she's go to the precinct and hang out with Ben who had gotten a weekend job there filing papers and answering the lobby phone. Some believed that Maya liked Ben while others were confident that she just knew how to annoy the hell out of him and that's every kid's most favorite pastime.
Chapter 4: Old Enemies and Misplaced Hatred
_______________________________________________________________________
January 7th 2005 2:30 p.m.
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya watched Daniel move across the office slowly. She never really talked to him. He didn't spend much time talking to her either. They were afraid of each other and they made it obvious. Aya knew that Daniel still held hate for Eve for what she did to Lorraine. Maya just felt his coldness every time she entered a room he was in. Ben made it a priority to stay in between them at all times. Ben had moved on, knowing that Maya wasn't like her mother and would never do something like that. Ben even took her to visit Lorraine's grave a few times. Each time the girl would place a brand new rose she bought from the flower shop on her block. Maya was picky about her roses. They had to be perfect. Lorraine deserved the best in her eyes. Lorraine must have been quite a woman to put up with Daniel's attitude for so many years... or so she thought.
Maya danced around the office with Eve at her heels. Eve wasn't considered a dog. Wayne was convinced that Maya thought, more than anything, that that dog was human. Wayne, on the other hand, knew that Eve was a "damn dog" and nothing more. Eve made sure to dedicate at least ten minutes of her free time to peeing on Wayne's shoes and chewing anything in her reach every time she visited.
One time Daniel stepped on Eve's tail causing the dog to yelp as if she had just gotten shot. Maya almost threw the door off it's hinges trying to rescue her dog. Maya wrapped her arms around Eve's neck and glared at Daniel. Daniel ran into his office, closed and locked the door. Maya just watched his door in unspoken rage for about five minutes. Ben picked her up off the floor and changed her mood instantly by offering to take her and Eve to the park to get ice cream.
Aya didn't really notice them two. She was either wrapped up in what Daniel was doing or what Maya was doing. She never spoke to them at the same time since the first time she met Maya.
_______________________________________________________________________
January 7th 2005 12:45am (Maya's Dreams)
_______________________________________________________________________
Maya sat in a large elegant throne. She leaned to one side and held her head up with her hand. She looked deep in thought.. almost sad. She was definitely waiting for something or someone. Maya frowned and sighed as the shutters blew open and Eve stepped in gracefully.
"I kept you waiting.. I'm sorry." Eve said lowering her head.
Maya refused to look at her. "Why were you late?" Maya said with a harsh tone.
"I couldn't find you. You had your mind on other things, it wasn't clear like usual. So I had to look for you. Please forgive me." Eve said bowing her head again and crossing her hands.
Maya turned and smiled at Eve. "I wasn't upset... just kidding!" Maya pushed herself off the throne and adjusted her gown so that the train would not trip her. "I could never be upset with you! Besides, you're my real mom right?" Maya smiled at her
"Of course dear. Now.. what do you want to know about yourself. Ask anything. I promise I will explain."
Maya stood ramrod straight and thought for a second. She had a question. But she avoided it for years. She was afraid of the answer. But tonight was the night she was going to put her mind at ease. It was time she knew about Daniel. "OK. I want to know what Daniel hates me so much. Why does he act like I killed his wife or something?" Maya said cocking an eyebrow.
Eve laughed. "You're right. Well, in a sense anyway." Eve said twirling her thumbs.
"That means?" Maya said giving her a rather blank look. She hated Eve's mind games.
"It means that I killed his stupid wife!" Eve said doubling over and laughing hysterically.
"You did what?! But why? How? When?!" Maya said holding her heart. "Did she at least deserve it?"
"Well did the rest of them?" Eve commented walking along the walls to the fireplace. She turned her head and looked up at Maya. "None of them did I guess. I did it for the sake of our mitochondria evolution process. I was simply giving back what belonged to them.. this earth." Eve turned her whole body and looked at Maya. "Don't you think they deserved it Maya?"
Maya studied her hands "Well I don't know... I mean.. I guess so. It's just that Lorraine was a good person. Ben told me all about her. She seemed like such a great person.. I wanted to meet her."
Eve walked back to Maya and held her hand. "They were weak. Not like you and me Maya. Lorraine was weak also. She might have had a nice personality.. but nothing was to stand in the way of my mission. And I almost succeeded. I would've taken you Maya. We would've lived together happily. That was my soul purpose. I didn't dare mention you to anyone.. I didn't want you to be taken away. But I was killed and so was the Ultimate Being." Eve said sighing in defeat.
"I do want to live a normal life though, Eve. I don't really desire to take over the world. I like it the way it is. I like Ben and my mom and my grand aunt. I like the way Wayne always yells at my puppy and the way the lady in the lobby let's me help her make photo copies. I like things simple. World domination is not really my thing... I want to be a..." Maya paused
"Police officer." Eve finished. "I guess I wouldn't have forced you to be different if you didn't want to. What matters is that you're happy. I would like to see a few people pay but I failed and I shouldn't bring you down because of it. It's not your fault."
Maya turned her head towards the mirror and gazed into her green eyes. "And my burning habits?"
Eve stood behind her and rested her head on Maya's shoulder. "They'll stay with you forever. It's a gift.. but you can control it. When you feel yourself getting warm just get up and go." Eve spoke softly. "We look so much alike." Eve spoke brushing Maya's bangs out of her face. Almost exact. They won't realize that until you're about eighteen." Eve smiled at the though.
Chapter 5: Reposessed
________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, March 26th 2014 8:35am
________________________________________________________________________
Maya bounded down the stairs tripping on the third step and falling the rest of the way down. "I am SO unbelievably late!!" She dashed into the kitchen and picked up a slice of toast, kissed her mom goodbye and sprinted out the kitchen door to the rehearsal hall.
Aya leaned back against the counter and sighed. Maya had taken an interest in choir and singing. Aya wanted to be a supportive mother but she was turning more and more into Melissa everyday. It got scary after a while. She turned around and faced her aunt. "I don't want to hear it Kai. I'm not feeling well this morning.
Mrs. Swift gave Aya the evil eye and walked to the bathroom for her medication. Aya moved into a house in upstate NY. She still worked at the precinct. Daniel retired and Ben was working as a full time cop to support his wife and twin daughters. Maya worked there after school because she knew the precinct backwards and forwards.
Everyone thought that Aya's move was a little unnecessary but she said she had her reasons. Maya, for one, needed to go to a special school. She seemed to learn too quickly and it resulted in her making trouble in class to pass the time. Aya enrolled her in Richmond's School for the Gifted. It was a private school that worked with prodigies and kids with the ability to put their photographic memories to full use. Maya seemed to be doing good. She made honor roll and passed several academic competitions. It seemed that she was too smart for the school but she couldn't just stop going.
Maya was closely connected to a girl she met the first day of school. Sharon was like Maya except that she couldn't think half as fast as Maya could. Sharon sang and got Maya into singing. They would sing in front of Maya's mirror for hours. Aya tried to get her into sports and other recreational activities but Maya seemed to make time for all of them and choir.
*****************
Maya stood in the church and studied the statue of the Virgin Mary. She waited for Sharon to come and they would walk to the practice as usual, talking about last night's episode of their favorite show.
Sharon didn't show up though. Maya glanced at her watch twice. She looked over her shoulder only to find Daniel sitting in one of the pews watching her from afar.
"You following me Daniel?" Maya sneered. Her silent battle with Daniel had only turned worse over the years. Maya now speaking her mind and Daniel being a bit more insensitive about Maya's predicament.
"No.. I actually came here to pay respects to my dead wife... what were you planning to do? Burn the chapel to cinders and ruin the only memories I have left of her?" Daniel stared daggers into the younger girl's green eyes.
"Good idea." Maya narrowed her eyes. "Don't test me Daniel.. I don't know why you blame me for your *EX-wife's* inhumane demise but I don't have time to sit here prove myself to you." Maya slung her bag over her shoulders and continued on "I'll be on my way if you don't mind sir.. may I please have a head start if you're going to follow me once again?"
Daniel gritted his teeth.. "If only your mother...... wasn't... so ......." Daniel spun around and left out the entrance opposite to Maya's.
Maya walked across the street in rage. She was tired of being insulted for something she didn't so. A crime she never committed. She was little sick of being called the "human torch" or the "flame freak" by Daniel. She had had enough of his childish behavior. He was going to have to learn that you don't cross someone more powerful than you. She continued across the street looking up for only a second before...
everything went black.
Maya sat up in the hospital bed and rubbed her throbbing head. She came face to face with a very concerned Aya. She looked at her mom and smiled. Aya locked Maya in a bone crunching hug.
"My baby!! You poor thing!! Does it hurt? Lemme see!" Aya pulled Maya away, looked at her, and locked her in the tight hug again. "You're so lucky you let your backpack break some of your fall!!! I was so worried!!"
Maya pressed her hands against her mother's torso and pushed her off gently. "I think your hug hurt more mom." Maya smiled and wiped her mother's tears away. "Honestly mommy, I feel fine.. but who hit me?"
Aya sat on the end of the bed. She looked worried again. "Daniel." Aya turned around and placed her hands up defensively "But it was an accident!! He wasn't watching where he was going! Maya I promise you.. this has nothing to do with the fact that you two don't like each other."
Maya didn't say anything.. instead she motioned for her mother to leave and she went to sleep. She was sure it was no accident. Everything happened so fast but she swore to herself that instead of hearing brakes screeching she could hear the car speeding up.. as if it was going to run her over.
Maya was able to leave the hospital after two days. She didn't speak much. She was always in deep thought. She barely ate. She hardly slept and her best friend couldn't even get through to her. Her mind was set on one thing. Payback. Aya was keeping close watch over Maya. Things were really wrong and Maya's fire habits were starting to slip. Aya could feel herself growing hot sometimes.. times when a car could be heard screeching or when anyone said Sergeant of officer.
________________________________________________________________________
Monday, March 28th, 2014 1:32 am
________________________________________________________________________
Maya slipped her boots on as quietly as she could. Eve was ready and standing at attention. Maya creeped out her back window and hopped on her bike. It was going to be a long ride but rage only gave her more energy than ever before. She pedaled as hard as she could with Eve right behind her. She would stop every once in a while to let the dog catch her breath and she started up again.
Maya finally made it to the apartment. She stood up and glared at the window. The lights were all off and there was no sign of activity. Maya slid her key to the building through the machine and pushed the door opened. She made her way to the top floor and pressed herself against the door. She slid the key into the apartment and opened the door silently. Maya removed Eve's collar and crept into the apartment stealthily. She stopped and peeked in the room. Ben tossed in his bed and pulled his covers higher up. She smiled gently. Maya flashed back for a second:
~*~Ben handed Maya a rose on her 16th birthday. She was a little disappointed because Aya had to work that Friday. (As orders per Daniel). Ben sat with her at home. Her birthday party wouldn't take place till Saturday so her and Ben threw a little party of their own since Ben would have to work on Saturday. They rented movies and ordered pizza. They told creepy stories and the latest gossip that was going in in school. They talked about teachers and how their parents are weird and how they both wanted to grow up to be police officers and if they both graduate from the academy that they would be partners and stuff. The night had ended soon and Ben had to go home to get ready for work the next morning so he gave Maya a big hug and told her to cheer up. Then he tilted her chin back and kissed her gently on the lips and told her to get some sleep. Maya blushed all they way to her room and went to sleep with a smile on her face. ~*~
Maya pressed herself against the wall again, touching her lips one last time. She would always remember that kiss.. it would be her last from Ben because she was about to do something guaranteed to make Ben hate her forever. Maya slipped through the shadows and pressed her hand against Daniel's bedroom door. She glanced in. He wasn't there... He wasn't there?
"He isn't here?" Maya asked to herself quietly.
"Not exactly.. had some late night work to do at the office before I came home."
Maya spun around totally surprised. Daniel was staring menacingly at her.
"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked grabbing her shoulder. "How did you get in?"
"You did it on purpose... you tried to hit me.. YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!!!" Maya screamed.
The windows flew open. A storm had started. Lightning and thunder struck. The rain was coming down hard.
"I didn't try to....."
"SILENCE!!!" Maya spoke but her voice was broken... as if she was speaking but another person was speaking with her.
Maya held her hand up as Daniel walked towards her. Her eyes began to glow. She was furious. She was beyond furious. She had met a new level of rage. She could feel she body losing control. Someone was taking control of her actions. Someone was trying to use her body to get revenge.
Maya's green eyes lit up the room. Her voice became clearer.. not her own.. but clearer. She grabbed her head and embraced the pain. Daniel watched in horror as Maya started to look more and more like... Eve.
"You tried to kill my daughter. You wanted to take the only thing that mattered to me away. You helped kill me.. now you go after my child.... NO! YOU DIE!!!!!!"
Maya extended her hand as far is it could go. She brought her middle and ring finger together and spread out the rest of her fingers. Daniel fall to his knees as the room started to get hotter. He saw the flames leap out from nowhere. He was surrounded by it. Daniel choked on the smoke. He coughed in a desperate attempt to clear his lungs.
Ben rubbed his eyes. He found it harder and harder to breathe. He walked out of his room but had to jump back in as the flames burns his doorway to cinders. He made a running leap through the doorway.
"Maya stop it!!!! STOP IT!!!!" Ben pleaded
The broken voice came back. Maya was speaking through eve now. "He tried to kill me. He will pay." Ben backed up and ran out of the apartment. He made it to the closest pay phone and tried to call Aya but no one was answering. He turned back to run into the apartment. He grabbed the fire extinguisher in the hallway and kicked in the door. Daniel was still gasping for breath. Aya darted in after him.
"But.. you were.... How did you know to come?" Ben asked confused.
"I followed her after she left Ben.. She's my daughter.. I just know when something is going to go wrong." Aya said
Aya dropped Maeda's gun on the table at the door and walked into the apartment.
"Ben stay out.. if she loses control she'll burn everything.. including you."
Ben backed out of the doorway. Aya approached Maya slowly. "Maya.. ENOUGH OF THIS NOW!!!!"
The girl laughed. "Maya is with me now. She has her real mother .. she doesn't need you!"
Aya growled. "She's my child!!"
"WRONG!!" Eve laughed.
Daniel was starting to lose consciousness. Eve was planning on killing him slowly. She would choke him to death. Aya had no choice but to pick up the gun she has dropped.
"Maya please.. don't make me do this...."
Eve glared at her "you wouldn't dare......."
"Don't try me Eve." Aya spoke monotone
Eve threw her head back and laughed.
Aya released the safety. She positioned the gun.. aimed.... and pulled the trigger.
The fired died down.
Eve stood there clutching her abdomen. Her eyes were wide in shock. She pulled her hands away and watched the blood coat her hands in red. She looked up at Aya and laughed.
"You would kill your own daughter?" Eve said laughing
"No, but I would kill yours..." Aya said silently.
"I don't understand..." Eve said starting to feel herself become weak.
"You're right she was never mine. I tried but she was never mine...." Aya said lowering her head. "As long as you are in her... she will have to die. Be it now.. or later... I would have to kill her."
"ARE YOU SAYING YOU NEVER LOVED HER?!?!?!"
"THINK EVE!!! You of all people should remember!!! That night.. Her birthday Nine years ago! I told her she wasn't mine.. I told her I loved her and that I would never let harm come to her. And that night she asked me to promise her something...."
~*~ "Mommy?" Maya said walking back to the table where her mother sat. "Mommy make me a promise."
"All right.. what's the promise"
"Promise me, that if I ever do anything wrong.. that if Eve ever tried to take over my body .. if I ever brought harm to anyone... intentionally.. you would stop me. Any way you had to.. Promise me that you would be the one to kill me."
"I could never.. do such a thing!"
Maya grabbed her mother's hands. "Listen.. if something were to happen to me... Eve would take over... and I would have to submit myself to her. I would be lost.. I would be dead already. It would be her in my body." ~*~
Aya watched as Eve fell to the ground... "Do you remember the night in the hospital Eve?"
~*~ The doctor scratched his head. "I don't understand.. two minutes ago Maya Brea was considered clinically dead."
The other doctor stood baffled "You did nothing to revive her?"
The first doctor spoke again. "We tried everything. She flat lined and we covered her up. I called for the coroner and when the coroner came in they said she was sitting up in the bed rubbing her eyes"
The second doctor took a seat "That is most peculiar."~*~
So you see Eve. My daughter died.. but your soul found it's opportunity to come back. It was all about waiting now Eve. It hurt me to pull that trigger. I looked you in the eyes one last time.. and I shot you. Not MY daughter.. I lost my daughter back at that hospital.
"You're........ too.. smart... Brea......." Eve extended her hand.
Aya held her hand until she died. Ben called the ambulance and Daniel was taken to the hospital. He got out with a few minor burns. Ben had to get his fist bandaged from breaking the glass to get the extinguisher.
They all had damages.. but Aya's was far worse. The loss of a child is never easy. But how do you get over something .....you never really had?
~Dynna Chae~