Chapter 9: Nightmare's Offer

Tamora saw herself back in the tower staring at the Queen Cy-Bug. Her men however were gone. She seemed to be all alone and she fired at the monster. The creature yowled in agony and hissed at Tamora with utter hatred. It raised it's pinchers and lunged at her. Déjà vu happened again for Crystal out of nowhere appeared and pushed Tamora behind her back. Calhoun watched in horror as she relived the scene again. "Crystal!" she shouted trying to raise her gun. But she couldn't move the dumb thing like her whole gun was frozen.

Then she tried to run over to Crystal to at least get her to safety. But like her gun she was frozen as well. Blood poured out of Crystal's body as the young girl was slowly dying. "Hold Crystal we are coming!" Daniel said running at the beast with Morgan and Rose behind him. Daniel let out a scream and the beast shrieked in pain. But before Daniel could move the creature grabbed him in another pincher and snapped him in half.

"No Daniel!" Tamora screamed trying to move. Tears flooded down her face as the Queen released Crystal who was drained of blood. Morgan flew out the creature and Rose used her Kitty to attack the monster. The Queen grew angry and ate Rose's Kitty then impaled Rose like it did Crystal and lastly sliced Morgan in half. "No, please no!" Tamora moaned seeing all her children were dead and she couldn't save them. Tears fell as the Queen looked at her with a sickening grin.

"You failed to protect your children. Just like you will fail to protect the children inside of you," the monster hissed. Then in a quick motion a pincher was lunging towards Tamora's stomach and a baby's cry was heard.

Tamora woke up in a cold sweat breathing heavily. Felix to her joy was fast asleep dreaming happy dreams. She held her stomach relieved to know the baby was okay. Still she got up and walked from each room checking on the kids. Rose was still sleeping with Kitty, Morgan fell asleep with a book in her hand, Daniel was curled in a ball on his bed, and Crystal looked relaxed. Her children were alive and they were safe. She had no idea if her dream meant anything but she did know this. Tamora was going to do everything in her power to protect her children.

The next morning it was a Tuesday and the arcade was closed. Crystal took that time to go somewhere she could think. She stood before an empty area but to her it was home. This was at one time her game and home. Heroes World is what it was called. The sky was blue with massive buildings, cozy restaurants, and houses for hero and villain families. A tear fell from her face as she racked in her mind the past events. First event was her mom being pregnant, the fear of being thrown away, and the fear of losing her family. People thought Crystal was fearless but that was a lie. The reason why she seemed fearless was because she was always afraid but never showed her fear. Her fears never controlled her for she found a way to control her fear.

"Hey Crystal," said a voice. She turned to face Nightmare, he had changed a lot his muscles were showing and she came up to his shoulder.

"Hey Nightmare, what are you doing here?" Crystal asked.

"I was going to see you in your game but I saw you over here so I thought I would come say hi," he said sheepishly. She smiled but he sensed something was off about her. "Is everything okay?" he asked her.

"Yes, no not really," Crystal said frowning a bit.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked taking a step closer to her.

"Well you know my mom is going to have a baby. Well Morgan had this nightmare where after Mom and Dad had these twins that they threw us out. Now Daniel, Morgan, and I fear it may come true. To top it off Mom's condition has grown worse where she can't play her game so she left me in charge and I am afraid I will fail her. People think I am some fearless leader with all the answers but in reality I have no idea what I am doing half the time. The only reason my siblings and I survived this long was on pure luck. We lost one family and I don't know what we will do if we lost another," Crystal said finally shedding tears. She didn't know why she was telling Nightmare all of this. Maybe it was because he like her was given a life they never asked for and the responsibilities of being seen as a leader.

"Crystal that is ridiculous your parents love you. They would have to be completely insane to throw you and your sibs out," Nightmare said placing a hand on her shoulder. He hated seeing her in pain for she was his only friend. "As for you being in charge you will do a great job. Who cares what others say, just do your thing and don't be your mom be you," he said.

"I am just so tired of trying to be strong when I have no idea what to do," Crystal sniffed looking at him.

"Okay if in an unlikely trillion to one chance your parents do throw you and your sibs away after your mom has her kids. Then you can stay in my game. You can live there in peace and I will make sure no one will bother you. I promise you won't have to fight and you can leave too," he said. He told her the last part for his dad tried to keep Crystal and her siblings' prisoner in his game. Of course Crystal knew Nightmare was nothing at all like his father.

"Nightmare I don't know what to say. I mean I will have to talk with Daniel, Morgan, and Rose," she said.

"I know I am just letting you know that if this fear comes true. You and your siblings will have a place to stay. That is all I am saying," he said gently. Crystal hugged him and smiled thanking him for being a friend.

Later that night Crystal had her siblings meet her in her room. She wanted to discuss Nightmare's offer to them. "So, he said we could stay in his game if Mom and Dad throw us away?" Morgan asked.

"And we can leave if we want too?" Daniel questioned.

"Yes, exactly right but he doesn't think Mom or Dad would throw us away," Crystal said.

"And they won't they love us we are their kids," Rose said stubbornly.

"We know Rose but we are not their biological kids," Daniel explained to her.

"So, what that makes no difference to them. They didn't throw us away when the Bad Man I mean the Demon King came for us. No they stood by us even was willingly to fight for us. If that isn't parents loving their kids then what is?" she asked.

"You do have a point Rose and both Mom and Dad know something is up. Before we make any rash decisions we need to tell them how we truly feel," Crystal said.

"I agree," Morgan said gently.

"What happens if they get mad you know how Mom can be and Dad might blame himself," Daniel reminded her.

"I know tomorrow I will talk to Dr. Peters and maybe he can help us explain to Mom and Dad how we feel," Crystal said.

"That is a good idea," Morgan said.

"It could work," Daniel said.

"I still think you all are being silly Mommy and Daddy love us and they would never throw us away," Rose said firmly.

"I hope so too Rose," Crystal whispered to herself. The kids all went back to bed to plan for tomorrow both hoping that Rose was right. That their parents loved them and wouldn't throw them away, but if they did Nightmare offered them a place to stay. The question on their mind was would they have to take Nightmare up on that offer in the future?
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review.