Chapter 6-Redemption
The flashback had ended. Everything was at a standstill. The eerie silence was complimented when the ghostly howling of the night wind between the Barn's windows. The moon was shining bright now as it peered over the clouds.
DJ turned off his lightsabers, and then dropped them. His eyes turned back to normal, and tears filled up his eyes.
"Miller…" said DJ, as he sank to his knees
Miller sank to his knees too, and he began to cry.
DJ cried hysterically into Miller's shoulder as the memory of Dallas's death came back like he was just there.
"Oh Miller!" cried DJ, "You should've seen the way he looked at me! I felt so helpless! All he could do was hand me his chain! And when you weren't there I just felt so alone! I was so alone and helpless! I just watched him die and there was nothing I could do! Nothing I could fucking do! I was alone!"
Miller cried soft tears, "Baby brother you should have not suffered through this type of pain. No one deserves that type of pain. No one!"
"WHY?" shouted DJ while crying, "WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?"
Miller and DJ hugged and cried for that for 15 minutes. Everyone else cried too, but for a different reason.
"I misjudged him," said Otis through tears, "Why did I misjudge him?"
"I did too." said Abby, "But that… what he's doing. How could we have treated him so bad when he is good?"
Miracle, Chris and both Big and Little Ben thought the same thing.
Bessy and Dallas just watched, it was a touching moment for them.
For a moment in time, it was just DJ as the day he was when Dallas died, and Miller at how he would've been.
"Why do bad things happen to good people?" cried DJ.
"My brother," began Miller, "We are not completely in control with our lives, there are forces acting upon that are beyond our power and that we can't control. And to think we can control it is just silly, and you would be wasting your time trying to do so. Not everything in life will revolve around what you do and what you want DJ."
"Sometimes, shit happens and we have no control over it. We don't know when or where it happens and sometimes it seems out of the blue, but it happens. We can fluff ourselves up as much as we want and try to say it was preventable, but it ain't. That's the reality of things. I wished more than ever I could've been there for you when Dad died. I knew you felt so alone and scared deep inside. The wound would never go away. And it killed me inside each day."
"DJ, it's not the things that go wrong in our lives that define who we are, but how we recover and grow from it. I'm sorry, DJ, that I was never there for you. But you must know that I never purposely abandoned you. Things I couldn't control stopped me, and you and I suffered. But always know that I thought of both you and Daisy 24/7."
"It's time to let go, DJ, it's time to let go of the pain in your heart. I am there for you, Otis is, Abby, your kids, Rosey, and you even brought back Dad! So now is the time to let go. Let go, baby brother, let go."
"I am…" said DJ, "Letting go…" and he let go of all the pain he had held. DJ felt peaceful, and felt truly happy about that. It brought tears to his eyes.
He turned to Miller, "Thank you, Miller. I don't know what could have been better than this."
"One more thing." said Miller, "Daisy! Please come over here."
Daisy had just watched what happened, Miller had managed to heal him in ways only family could. She shocked, amazed, joyful, and scared. She walked over to DJ and Miller.
"Sit down." said Miller,
Daisy obeyed
"Now you both have feelings for each other. right?" asked Miller
"Right." they both said.
"But you both would never want to get back together right?" asked Miller
"RIGHT." said DJ
"RIGHT." said Daisy
"Exactly, you think that those feelings you have are love. They ain't. It's called being close, and it's perfectly normal." said Miller, "Now Daisy I understand that you feel hurt and broken since DJ did what he did."
"Traitor." said Daisy
"Shut up, slut." said DJ
"Ok," said Miller, "But Daisy, he is not to be blamed for his actions. That wound back there? That Vampiric entity was using THAT as its fuel source. DJ couldn't rip it out without hurting him. Although, I do believe that DJ could've tried a little harder to address the problem, but what's done is done, and we must move on. So Daisy, you must forgive DJ."
He turned to DJ, "And you must move on from Daisy, I know you feel like you loved her more than anything, and you did. But you need to move on, you have a great wife which I think goes better with you than Daisy does, and you need to forgive Daisy and move on, or you'll never be able to cope with one another, and that isn't good for the family."
DJ and Daisy looked at each other, and thought of all the fun they've had. But now, like Miller said, it was time to move on. They couldn't keep living in the past forever.
"DJ, I forgive you." said Daisy with a smile.
"Daisy, I forgive you." said DJ also with a smile.
"And I love you both!" said Miller.
DJ and Daisy felt calm inside them. The calm that only comes with a peaceful heart. They're pain and suffering had ended.
Around them, all the animals began to trust Miller a little bit more. DJ's kids decided that they were wrong about Miller; he truly loved their Mom and Dad.
They approached Miller, who turned at looked at them.
"Hey," said Chris
"Hi." said Miller, "What brings you three to these parts?"
"Miller, we're sorry. We judged you wrongly." said Miracle, "You really do care about everyone here."
"Can you forgive us?" said little Ben.
Miller smiled, "I already had a long time ago. You're family, and I love you as one of my own."
"Ohhhh Miller!" said Daisy, "That's so sweet!"
The three embraced Miller, while Daisy watched.
Even the Barnyard gang came and apologized. He did not hesitate to forgive them.
"Say Otis," said Miller, "How would you feel if, sometime not too far from here, I tagged along with you and your crew for a day or two?"
"Sweet!" said Otis
"Just let us know!" said Abby
"Excellent!" Miller exclaimed
"And don't forget me!"
What I've Done-by Linkin Park
Miller turned around and faced his family, he had gave them peace, fixed their wounds, and made them happy.
Annabelle appeared beside him. "I'm proud of you bubbs. You really redeemed yourself today. I sense DJ and Daisy are finally at peace in their hearts, and it's all thanks to you."
"I cheated death two times over," said Miller, "Went through all those military training procedures, and am a big Russian war hero. But it's all worth it to seem them happy, both inside and out."
"You know," said Annabelle, "You have all the makings of an Angel, like a fighting angel like we have up in Heaven. Ever considered?"
"I'm sorry, but no thanks." said Miller, "My place is here, among my family and friends."
Annabelle smiled, "Somehow I knew you would say that. Well, when you DO get up to Heaven, I'll put in word. See ya around Miller, and good luck."
She vanished, but soon Belladonna appeared.
"Morning." said Miller
"Tough shit." said Belladonna, "I'm proud of you nephew."
"Thank you." said Miller, "You don't have to be facetious, auntie."
"My ass," replied Belladonna, "That took balls of steel to stand up to DJ and face him at full power. He was more pissed than ever. And the way you just talked them into that healing shit. That took being smart and maturity. Hell, you have more goodness in one hoof-finger than most assholes do in their life."
"Thank you auntie, I do love my family." said Miller,
Belladonna smiled, "You know, me and the boys we're workin' on something you might like."
"What is it?" said Miller,
"Well," began Belladonna, "I always loved to have gratuitous destruction at my fingertips, and this thing makes a big boom. So it's kind of like a bomb from heaven that you call down."
"So like a satellite strike?" said Miller,
"Yeah, just with a bigger boom." said Belladonna, "We'll have it for you by your next visit."
"Ok!" said Miller "I look forward to it! Thanks auntie!"
"Hehe, see ya around nephew." Belladonna said as she disappeared.
Miller sighed and chuckled, and then he and Daisy went to Ben's Hill and lay down, leaning against the tree.
"I'm proud of you, sweetheart." said Daisy, "Thank you for being strong.
"Mission accomplished." said Miller, "A teperʹ ya budu spatʹ!"
He tipped the brim of his hat over his eyes and dozed off.
1 hour later,
He woke up to a text message from the Russian Weather Science Laboratory at his old military base.
Text: Millervich ! Eti yavlyaet·sya vysokoĭ shtormovoĭ aktivnosti vdolʹ vashem raĭone ! Tornado nyeizbezhny !
Miller replied "Spasibo" and then woke Daisy up.
"What is it?" asked Daisy, sensing urgency
"We have to get back now! There are tornadoes coming!" said Miller.
The two ran back to the Barn as fast as they could.