Chapter 10.
As the entire Benedict family walked into the room, I felt myself growing more and more anxious.
"Dad, you really think we need full force?"
"Well, we don't know, do we? Best to get to the bottom of it at once though."
Will pulled me closer to him on the couch to make room for others to sit. To my surprise, it didn't feel uncomfortable at all. I didn't even feel the nervous butterflies you would normally feel when you're around someone you're falling in love with. It felt completely natural, normal and as if I belonged right by his side.
That's because you do.
Everyone took a seat. Xav gave Will a pat on the head as he walked by and smiled at me.
"I'm Xavier and that's Crystal." He walked over to her and lifted her on his lap. "Come on, Cupcake, let's do this." Cupcake? I raised an eyebrow at Will.
You're not one for sweet little nicknames then, are you?
I just shook my head at him, smiling. I felt something brush my mind and as I looked up I saw a flow of energy from Uri and Will glared at him. What was he doing?
"Okay, let's..." Before Saul could finish the sentence, Will cut him off.
"I think Linda would be a bit more comfortable if we explained a little more about our gifts dad."
"I think he's right," Sky nodded.
"Okay," Victor started, I could tell that this family was used to him taking charge. No one seemed to mind that he did. "Trace can track things or people down, Diamond can resolve any argument, no matter how heated it is. Uriel can see the past," he skipped himself and Will, "Xavier is a healer, Crystal a soulfinder, Yves can control fire and Phoenix can stop time, well, make you think that time has stopped for a moment. Zed is the seventh son, which gives him more gifts than any of us, he's got a bit of all of our gifts, but his most developed gift is seeing the future, just as mom can. And he can tie us all together so he can see the bigger picture, which is what he'll be doing now. You know about Sky, Will and dad. I can manipulate thoughts." I pressed myself a bit tighter to Will, almost everyone noticed my movement.
"Don't worry, he only uses it for good." Xav winked at me from across the room.
"Now that you're caught up," Saul began again, "We would like to use our gifts to find out more about you. Zed will tie us and see the bigger picture. We want to know what your gift is and why all this savant stuff is new to you. Even if you grew up with humans, you should have had some idea about you being different."
"How do you do it? Are you all going to read my mind?"
"No, it's not mind reading, and we will stay away from things you don't want us to see." Saul assured me.
Trust us. Trust me.
I wanted to look at Uriel for reassurance, but it felt like this was the point where I had to choose. And I chose to trust Will. I nodded at him and felt his relief flowing through me.
Everyone held hands with each other. Most of the girls were sitting on the laps of their man. Will didn't hold hands with anyone but held on to me with both hands. Instead his parents sat down on either side of him and held him by his arm. Saul explained that this was the connection needed for everyone to be able to connect and for Zed to be able to see the bigger picture.
I felt a pounding at my brain and I gasped. Will immediately responded.
"Everyone stop." He looked at me. "Are you hurt?"
"No," I breathed. "It's not hurting, just uncomfortable."
"Let's try again."
Everyone concentrated again and this time I was prepared for the feeling. I felt that pushing sensation in my head again and as I looked around the room I could see flashes of their gifts shooting towards me. I felt Will reassuring me in my head that it was okay. Then Victor sighed, annoyed.
"This isn't going to work if you don't let your shield down, Linda."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"She doesn't know what you're talking about Vick."
Victor looked angry and I could see a flash from him to Will. Then I felt a push.
"Woah."
What was that? Will was wondering what just happened. Well, so was I.
I tried to figure out what it was. Victor seemed mad at Will and I saw him sending power to Will, my instinct towards Will kicked in. Apparently I had stopped whatever Victor was doing. Judging from the look Victor had on his face, I was right, he had hit a wall when trying to talk to Will.
At least I know you'll protect me then. I felt amusement coming from Will. How could he joke? I didn't understand anything that was happening and he was cracking jokes. My temper flared up, causing Sky to look alarmed, seeing her made me calm down immediately. It didn't matter right now, we were here for a reason.
"Okay, kids, what have we got?" It was weird and at the same time completely natural that Saul called this room full of grown, intimidating men kids.
"I didn't get anything," Uriel stated, "It was like hitting a wall, Vick is right, she's got a massive shield up."
"But it's different though, when I checked her earlier to see if she needed healing it was like she was one big barrier, now I could feel she had a shield in place." Xavier added.
"And you don't know what you're doing?" Saul asked me.
"I haven't got the faintest clue. I'm not doing anything."
"Then you're a shield."
"But I'm not..."
"Not deliberately, it's your gift. You must be a shield."
"That is what happened a minute ago, you were shielding me from Vick." Will said.
"She projected her shield?" Saul asked him. "I haven't heard of any untrained savant who can do that."
I suddenly felt proud, it wasn't my own pride though, it was Will's. He was happy I was that strong.
As I saw a light go from Saul to Will, we both felt it hit the wall again.
"Uhm, dad, I can't hear you anymore. Her defenses are still up."
"Yes, I got that much." He turned to the rest of the people in the room, "Anyone else stopped by the shield?"
"It seems to be mental. I could sense her physical state, but not her mental state." Xav started.
"I can see her connection to Will." Crystal added.
"I can see her colors fine, I've always been able to." Sky said.
"Same for me," Zed tapped Sky's hand, "I've seen her future actions sometimes, like this morning when she wanted to leave."
"I've been able to see her energy in other rooms," As Yves said this, Phee began to giggle, and then said: "I can't even reach her mental pattern."
Trace was the last to comment.
"I think I could track down objects that she has touched, because of the energy. But I don't know if I could track her down if needed."
"So definitely a mental shield it is." Will circled the space between my shoulders with his hand and I leaned back into him. I was feeling really tense. I still didn't know about half the things they were talking about. And somehow, apparently, I had Will under my shield now as well.
It's okay, we'll figure it out."Let's call it day." Everyone stood up at this comment from Saul. Suddenly I remembered it was Thanksgiving Day, I felt exhausted already and wondered if I could sit through a family dinner right now.
No family dinner. Will assured me.
But it´s important to your mother.
Karla stood up and started giving out orders again. "Yves, go fix us some quick pasta, Uriel will help." She pointed to her other sons, "Plates, cutlery, drinks." As they got an order from her, they all left the room to go do as she said.
"I'm so sorry, Karla."
"For what, dear?" She looked very surprised at my apology.
"For ruining your dinner, I know you made plans."
"Well, dear, Thanksgiving dinner isn't that important, we got another soulfinder added to the family, that's what's important here."