Chapter X
* * * * *
This time, Adam led the way back down the hallway to Adora's room, while Seahawk accompanied Marlena on the hunt for a wheelchair. He almost ran into Meghan on her way out of the room.
She came to an abrupt stop and stared at him for a good, long, moment. "You're Adora's twin brother, aren't you?"
"Why, yes, I am," Adam replied, keeping his expression pleasant.
Sure his face was red with embarrassment, Adam headed into Adora's room and quietly pushed the door shut behind him. He took a deep breath to calm himself and pulled out the Sword of Protection.
::Sorceress, can you hear me?:: he said.
::Yes, Adam. I hear you,:: was the reply in his head.
::We're almost ready to come home. Adora and Chelsea both are pretty banged up and are going to need Grayskull's healing powers,:: Adam opened his mind to show the Sorceress what had happened and could feel her dismay.
::Have you broken the spell yet?:: Sorceress asked next.
::Not yet,:: Adam answered. ::That's what I'm about to do. I wanted you standing by, just in case I have trouble getting through to her. She's not particularly coherent because of the drugs they've given her.::
::I shall be here if you need me then,:: the Sorceress said.
::Thank you, Sorceress,:: Adam said in a heartfelt tone.
He moved into the room then, noting that Adora was indeed, asleep once more. He placed the Sword of Protection across the chair that Marlena had moved to Adora's bedside earlier. He picked up Adora's hand and softly called her name, "Adora?"
Her brow creased and she turned her head away.
Adam took note of the increased flush in her cheeks and realized that he would have to take this extra carefully. In her feverish state, she could easily hit the call button for the nurse or call out if she felt threatened by him. "Adora?" he tried again.
A wordless protest and again, she shifted restlessly against her pillows.
::Sorceress?:: Aware of the time constraints, Adam called out, dropping a hand to rest on the Sword of Protection. ::I could use a little bit of help here.:: ::Certainly,:: she answered. ::Adora.::
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adora wanted nothing more than to stay in the comforting fog she was wrapped in. She didn't hurt and didn't have to fight for each breath. She ignored the male voice calling at her. She didn't want to answer him.
::Adora.:: a new voice, a female this time, called at her. Adora found her much harder to ignore. ::Adora,:: she called again.
Adora's thoughts were of protest. She didn't want to wake up.
::You must awaken, Princess Adora,:: the female voice called at her again.
*Princess?* Adora was puzzled. She wasn't a princess, was she?
::Awaken, Adora!:: The female voice was much more of a demand now.
Adora found it hard to ignore the power that just seemed to emanate from the female voice.
"Adora? Come on, wake up now," she heard the male voice coaxing her.
It was hard, oh so hard to leave that comfortable fog, but the combined voices wouldn't be ignored. She opened her eyes and felt her right hand being held first then the sensations of being hot and still cold and achy returned before her eyesight finally swam back into focus.
"Hey there," the man holding her right hand said with a smile. "You're one tough person to wake up."
"Who are you?" she questioned, trying to put her few memories together.
"I'm Adam - your twin brother," Adam answered simply.
It was then it struck Adora that his eyes were the exact same piercing blue as hers.
"I suppose Chelsea didn't mention that we were twins, did she?" Adam said in a voice full of irony.
Adora shook her head ever so slightly. It hurt to move it more than that, even with all the painkillers currently floating in her system. "Chelsea?" she paused and then gasped, "Chelsea!"
"- Is down the hallway in the Intensive Care Unit," Adam assured her. "We'll go see her in a few minutes here. But first, we need to do something about breaking this spell on you here."
"You know about it?" Adora asked, clearing her throat. She really didn't want to get into another coughing fit. Not yet. She wanted to know how to restore her memories.
"Of course I know about it," Adam answered, "Why do you think the Sorceress sent me here with Mother to find you?"
"Oh," Adora answered and couldn't fight back the cough.
Adam raised the back of the bed in order for her to be able to sit up better. He waited until she had her breath back before continuing. "I know how to break the spell Adora and I've found back the key item in doing so."
"What?" Adora asked, feeling just as confused as she had been since first awakening at Chelsea's.
"Your sword, Adora."
"My.sword?"
"Yes, your sword, Adora. I need for you to take possession of it once more." Adam told her, one hand resting on a naked blade in the chair next to him.
"How?" Adora asked, curious on how a sword, even one she felt pulling at her very soul, could restore her memory.
"Well, first off, we need to get you out of bed and on your feet," Adam said, finding the lever to gently lower her right leg before moving around to the far side of the bed. He undid the straps that held her leg in the sling. Ever so gently sliding it out of the way.
"Why do I need to be on my feet?" Adora was confused.
"Let's just say that it's easier if you're on your feet," Adam replied, moving back to the opposite side of the bed to bring the chair with the sword on it around.
Adora was puzzled by this answer, but her instincts and few memories of what Chelsea had told her, prompted her to trust him. Before she could question him further, she ended up having another coughing jag that left her breathless and wheezing.
"We don't have much time, Adora," Adam said with a bit of urgency.
"Why?" Adora asked when she could breathe again.
"Because to explain it all to Mother and Seahawk is not something I nor you would want to do right now. It's well, complicated, to put it mildly," Adam answered, a lopsided grin on his face.
Adora sighed and wondered how the fates had decided to stick her with this crazy person supposedly as her brother. Her whole body hurt from coughing and she wanted nothing more than to sleep. She leaned her head back against her pillows and felt the drugs trying to pull her back to sleep.
"Come on now, sis, no falling back asleep yet," Adam said, stepping back to her bedside.
Adora opened her eyes and said, "Tired."
"I know you're tired, but in order to help Chelsea, we need to get your memory back," Adam said.
"Chelsea?" Adora questioned, awareness coming back to her.
"Yes, " Adam answered, helping her to sit up. "In order for us to get back to Eternia, we need to get your memory back." He hoped that she would forgive him for this small lie when she did have her memory back and they were all back on Eternia.
"Me?" Adora questioned.
"It'll become clear once you get your memory back, sis, believe me," Adam answered, supporting her right leg as she moved her legs over the edge of the bed.
Adora wobbled on her feet, even with Adam's support around her waist. She kept one hand locked around his arm as he leaned over and picked up her sword from the chair.
Adam presented her sword to her hilt first and Adora stared at it as she tentatively wrapped her hand around the hilt. It felt like she had regained some part of her that had been lost and the jewel in the center of the blade just above the hilt seemed to glow as she took the blade in hand.
She didn't realize he had stepped away from her at first until his voice was no longer right next to her. She looked up at him with a confused expression.
"Now, hold up the sword and say, 'For the Honor of Grayskull,'" Adam instructed.
Adora looked him for a long minute, trying to decide if he was pulling her leg or not. Her eyes went wide as she heard that female voice she thought she'd dreamed speak in her head again. ::He's not lying, Adora. Listen to him and do what he says.::
"That would be the Sorceress," Adam said as she looked at him with a shocked expression.
"'For the honor of Grayskull, you said?'" Adora questioned, feeling the weight of the sword in her hand.
Adam nodded and said, "Yes, that's it."
"For the honor of Grayskull?" Adora repeated softly to herself. She lifted the sword up and repeated the phrase Adam had told her to say, "For the Honor of Grayskull!"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adam stood back and watched the transformation take place, since it never ceased to amaze him. Rainbow colored swirls of light burst forth from the jewel in the center of the blade, going in all directions. That was followed by a golden burst of light that then surrounded her in a glowing nimbus of magical energy. From the tip of her sword came a sparkling stream of white light that swirled down around her. Next, a golden cone of magical energy circled down around Adora, transforming her from head to toe into She-Ra.
First to appear was a golden tiara with sculpted wings on the sides of her head to hold back her heavy, full and wavy mass of golden, blonde hair that hid most of the bandage on her temple. In the center of the headband was an oval shaped ruby red crystal. Golden armbands appeared on her forearms, covering them from wrists to almost her elbow. Then, a golden band appeared around her throat to which was attached a flowing red cape that came to just about her knees. The hospital gown was replaced by a short, toga-like, strapless dress that had a golden wing design on the front with a small crystal in the center of it and golden wingtips flaring out at her shoulder. The brace, which had covered her right leg from mid-thigh to her ankle, disappeared as deep, golden-brown, knee-high boots appeared on her feet.
There was another bright burst of golden light from the jewel in the center of the blade, completely surrounding She-Ra as she said with a note of surprise in her voice, "I am She-Ra."
The jewel in her sword gave one final burst of light which went from gold to an intense white that was almost too bright to look at, then the transformation was complete and Adora was She-Ra.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Still not sure at first to believe him, Adora repeated the chant, and watched in amazement as she was surrounded in magical energy.
The wall that had surrounded her memories was breached and dissolved as the transformation took place. Her memories came rushing back in like the tide of the ocean and for a moment, she thought she was going to drown in her memories. The transformation was over and she was She-Ra and her legs refused to support her weight as her memories continued to rush in. She sensed that Adam was there at her side and he was the one who helped her sit down in the chair, rather than her collapsing on the floor in a heap.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adam watched the display of emotions on her face as she remembered everything. He moved back to her side in two long steps to catch She-Ra and set her down in the chair he had brought around to that side of the bed.
"It is overwhelming at first, I know, but give yourself some time to relax and adjust," Adam said in a knowing and reassuring tone, holding her hands.
A few moments and a couple of deep breaths later, She-Ra reopened her eyes. She gave him a wan smile and said, "Oh, Adam, how good it is to see you! You can't imagine what it was like."
"Oh, yes I can, sis. Just take it easy, we're getting out of here and going home to Eternia as soon as we get Chelsea," Adam assured her. "How are you feeling otherwise?"
"I don't know. I just generally ache all over, but I can't seem to focus on anything in particular," she winced as she touched the bandage that wasn't quite covered by her tiara.
"Well, you've also got enough medicine being pumped into you right now to keep you from feeling too much," Adam said with a nod towards the IV line still in the back of her left hand. He noticed her eyes becoming less focused once more and how she was trying to smother another yawn. The drugs were trying to do their job and pull her back under. It was for the best he decided if she got more sleep in now. "Before you drift away from me here, Sleeping Beauty, you need to change back to Adora. I would have quite a bit of explaining your presence and I would not even want to try to get my way out of that one with her."
She-Ra gave Adam a tired smile as he helped her back to feet to make the change back to Adora. He stood right by her side to lower Adora back into the chair. He took the Sword of Protection from her loose grasp and slid it into place behind the Sword of Power in its scabbard. "I'm going to go get Seahawk and Mother and then we're going to get you out of here."
Adam strode to the door and opened it, just as his mother and Seahawk were returning with a wheelchair.
"Are we ready?" Marlena simply asked.
"Yes," was the simple answer? He looked to Seahawk, "Come on, let's get her loaded into the wheelchair."
"Right," Seahawk said, pushing the chair into the room. Adora barely stirred as he picked her up and deposited her in the chair, while Adam made sure the foot rest was adjusted properly so her right leg was supported, then hung the IV bag from the pole designated just for that on the back of the wheelchair.
"Give me a minute to start talking to Meghan and her friend, then come out and head for the ICU," Adam directed.
"Right," Seahawk answered with a short nod.
Marlena stopped Adam at the door to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and a bit of encouragement, "You can do this, Adam."
"Thanks, Mother," he said and headed for the far side of the nurses' station.
He never could recall exactly what he said to Meghan and her co-worker, but whatever it was, it was enough to have them both giggling like some of the more brainless courtiers that were single-minded in their pursuit of him. The minute passed and he saw Marlena gave the signal to move out to Seahawk. A few moments after they were out of sight, he managed to politely extricate himself from the two nurses and joined the others at a small lounge/waiting area just outside the ICU.
"What now?" Marlena asked him.
"I contact the Sorceress and let her know we're ready and then Seahawk and Adora go first, followed by you and I with Chelsea."
"Let's get moving then," Marlena said.
"Right," Adam answered, moving off to go contact the Sorceress once more. He moved past Darcie at her monitoring station and back into Chelsea's room. He pulled out Adora's sword once more and said, "Sorceress, we're ready. Seahawk will be coming through first."
"All right, Adam," the Sorceress' voice echoed in his head.
The portal opened and Adam turned to go get Seahawk and his sister. He stood guard in the doorway while his mother chatted with Darcie, keeping her distracted just enough to not notice that Seahawk and Adora hadn't come back out by the time Adam nodded to her that he was ready to go.
Once she was in the room with him, he explained to her what help he needed, "I can hold Chelsea, but I need your help to disconnect her from the monitoring equipment."
"Why don't I do that last? " Marlena commented quietly, helping Adam to undo the straps that kept Chelsea's left arm suspended while he worked to lower her left leg from its suspended state. Working together, it only took them a few moments to free her from the supports.
Adam carefully gathered her up in his arms and Marlena disconnected her from the monitoring equipment. Immediately, the alarms went off on the monitor and they could hear Darcie come scrambling from her desk.
"Go," Marlena ordered Adam. "I'll follow right behind you."
Adam moved quickly to the portal, with Marlena hot on his heals.
Darcie entered the room at a run as Marlena paused on the threshold and said, "I'm sorry, but we really must be going now."
Darcie was speechless as the portal disappeared as soon as Marlena stepped through it.
* * * * *
This time, Adam led the way back down the hallway to Adora's room, while Seahawk accompanied Marlena on the hunt for a wheelchair. He almost ran into Meghan on her way out of the room.
She came to an abrupt stop and stared at him for a good, long, moment. "You're Adora's twin brother, aren't you?"
"Why, yes, I am," Adam replied, keeping his expression pleasant.
Sure his face was red with embarrassment, Adam headed into Adora's room and quietly pushed the door shut behind him. He took a deep breath to calm himself and pulled out the Sword of Protection.
::Sorceress, can you hear me?:: he said.
::Yes, Adam. I hear you,:: was the reply in his head.
::We're almost ready to come home. Adora and Chelsea both are pretty banged up and are going to need Grayskull's healing powers,:: Adam opened his mind to show the Sorceress what had happened and could feel her dismay.
::Have you broken the spell yet?:: Sorceress asked next.
::Not yet,:: Adam answered. ::That's what I'm about to do. I wanted you standing by, just in case I have trouble getting through to her. She's not particularly coherent because of the drugs they've given her.::
::I shall be here if you need me then,:: the Sorceress said.
::Thank you, Sorceress,:: Adam said in a heartfelt tone.
He moved into the room then, noting that Adora was indeed, asleep once more. He placed the Sword of Protection across the chair that Marlena had moved to Adora's bedside earlier. He picked up Adora's hand and softly called her name, "Adora?"
Her brow creased and she turned her head away.
Adam took note of the increased flush in her cheeks and realized that he would have to take this extra carefully. In her feverish state, she could easily hit the call button for the nurse or call out if she felt threatened by him. "Adora?" he tried again.
A wordless protest and again, she shifted restlessly against her pillows.
::Sorceress?:: Aware of the time constraints, Adam called out, dropping a hand to rest on the Sword of Protection. ::I could use a little bit of help here.:: ::Certainly,:: she answered. ::Adora.::
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adora wanted nothing more than to stay in the comforting fog she was wrapped in. She didn't hurt and didn't have to fight for each breath. She ignored the male voice calling at her. She didn't want to answer him.
::Adora.:: a new voice, a female this time, called at her. Adora found her much harder to ignore. ::Adora,:: she called again.
Adora's thoughts were of protest. She didn't want to wake up.
::You must awaken, Princess Adora,:: the female voice called at her again.
*Princess?* Adora was puzzled. She wasn't a princess, was she?
::Awaken, Adora!:: The female voice was much more of a demand now.
Adora found it hard to ignore the power that just seemed to emanate from the female voice.
"Adora? Come on, wake up now," she heard the male voice coaxing her.
It was hard, oh so hard to leave that comfortable fog, but the combined voices wouldn't be ignored. She opened her eyes and felt her right hand being held first then the sensations of being hot and still cold and achy returned before her eyesight finally swam back into focus.
"Hey there," the man holding her right hand said with a smile. "You're one tough person to wake up."
"Who are you?" she questioned, trying to put her few memories together.
"I'm Adam - your twin brother," Adam answered simply.
It was then it struck Adora that his eyes were the exact same piercing blue as hers.
"I suppose Chelsea didn't mention that we were twins, did she?" Adam said in a voice full of irony.
Adora shook her head ever so slightly. It hurt to move it more than that, even with all the painkillers currently floating in her system. "Chelsea?" she paused and then gasped, "Chelsea!"
"- Is down the hallway in the Intensive Care Unit," Adam assured her. "We'll go see her in a few minutes here. But first, we need to do something about breaking this spell on you here."
"You know about it?" Adora asked, clearing her throat. She really didn't want to get into another coughing fit. Not yet. She wanted to know how to restore her memories.
"Of course I know about it," Adam answered, "Why do you think the Sorceress sent me here with Mother to find you?"
"Oh," Adora answered and couldn't fight back the cough.
Adam raised the back of the bed in order for her to be able to sit up better. He waited until she had her breath back before continuing. "I know how to break the spell Adora and I've found back the key item in doing so."
"What?" Adora asked, feeling just as confused as she had been since first awakening at Chelsea's.
"Your sword, Adora."
"My.sword?"
"Yes, your sword, Adora. I need for you to take possession of it once more." Adam told her, one hand resting on a naked blade in the chair next to him.
"How?" Adora asked, curious on how a sword, even one she felt pulling at her very soul, could restore her memory.
"Well, first off, we need to get you out of bed and on your feet," Adam said, finding the lever to gently lower her right leg before moving around to the far side of the bed. He undid the straps that held her leg in the sling. Ever so gently sliding it out of the way.
"Why do I need to be on my feet?" Adora was confused.
"Let's just say that it's easier if you're on your feet," Adam replied, moving back to the opposite side of the bed to bring the chair with the sword on it around.
Adora was puzzled by this answer, but her instincts and few memories of what Chelsea had told her, prompted her to trust him. Before she could question him further, she ended up having another coughing jag that left her breathless and wheezing.
"We don't have much time, Adora," Adam said with a bit of urgency.
"Why?" Adora asked when she could breathe again.
"Because to explain it all to Mother and Seahawk is not something I nor you would want to do right now. It's well, complicated, to put it mildly," Adam answered, a lopsided grin on his face.
Adora sighed and wondered how the fates had decided to stick her with this crazy person supposedly as her brother. Her whole body hurt from coughing and she wanted nothing more than to sleep. She leaned her head back against her pillows and felt the drugs trying to pull her back to sleep.
"Come on now, sis, no falling back asleep yet," Adam said, stepping back to her bedside.
Adora opened her eyes and said, "Tired."
"I know you're tired, but in order to help Chelsea, we need to get your memory back," Adam said.
"Chelsea?" Adora questioned, awareness coming back to her.
"Yes, " Adam answered, helping her to sit up. "In order for us to get back to Eternia, we need to get your memory back." He hoped that she would forgive him for this small lie when she did have her memory back and they were all back on Eternia.
"Me?" Adora questioned.
"It'll become clear once you get your memory back, sis, believe me," Adam answered, supporting her right leg as she moved her legs over the edge of the bed.
Adora wobbled on her feet, even with Adam's support around her waist. She kept one hand locked around his arm as he leaned over and picked up her sword from the chair.
Adam presented her sword to her hilt first and Adora stared at it as she tentatively wrapped her hand around the hilt. It felt like she had regained some part of her that had been lost and the jewel in the center of the blade just above the hilt seemed to glow as she took the blade in hand.
She didn't realize he had stepped away from her at first until his voice was no longer right next to her. She looked up at him with a confused expression.
"Now, hold up the sword and say, 'For the Honor of Grayskull,'" Adam instructed.
Adora looked him for a long minute, trying to decide if he was pulling her leg or not. Her eyes went wide as she heard that female voice she thought she'd dreamed speak in her head again. ::He's not lying, Adora. Listen to him and do what he says.::
"That would be the Sorceress," Adam said as she looked at him with a shocked expression.
"'For the honor of Grayskull, you said?'" Adora questioned, feeling the weight of the sword in her hand.
Adam nodded and said, "Yes, that's it."
"For the honor of Grayskull?" Adora repeated softly to herself. She lifted the sword up and repeated the phrase Adam had told her to say, "For the Honor of Grayskull!"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adam stood back and watched the transformation take place, since it never ceased to amaze him. Rainbow colored swirls of light burst forth from the jewel in the center of the blade, going in all directions. That was followed by a golden burst of light that then surrounded her in a glowing nimbus of magical energy. From the tip of her sword came a sparkling stream of white light that swirled down around her. Next, a golden cone of magical energy circled down around Adora, transforming her from head to toe into She-Ra.
First to appear was a golden tiara with sculpted wings on the sides of her head to hold back her heavy, full and wavy mass of golden, blonde hair that hid most of the bandage on her temple. In the center of the headband was an oval shaped ruby red crystal. Golden armbands appeared on her forearms, covering them from wrists to almost her elbow. Then, a golden band appeared around her throat to which was attached a flowing red cape that came to just about her knees. The hospital gown was replaced by a short, toga-like, strapless dress that had a golden wing design on the front with a small crystal in the center of it and golden wingtips flaring out at her shoulder. The brace, which had covered her right leg from mid-thigh to her ankle, disappeared as deep, golden-brown, knee-high boots appeared on her feet.
There was another bright burst of golden light from the jewel in the center of the blade, completely surrounding She-Ra as she said with a note of surprise in her voice, "I am She-Ra."
The jewel in her sword gave one final burst of light which went from gold to an intense white that was almost too bright to look at, then the transformation was complete and Adora was She-Ra.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Still not sure at first to believe him, Adora repeated the chant, and watched in amazement as she was surrounded in magical energy.
The wall that had surrounded her memories was breached and dissolved as the transformation took place. Her memories came rushing back in like the tide of the ocean and for a moment, she thought she was going to drown in her memories. The transformation was over and she was She-Ra and her legs refused to support her weight as her memories continued to rush in. She sensed that Adam was there at her side and he was the one who helped her sit down in the chair, rather than her collapsing on the floor in a heap.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Adam watched the display of emotions on her face as she remembered everything. He moved back to her side in two long steps to catch She-Ra and set her down in the chair he had brought around to that side of the bed.
"It is overwhelming at first, I know, but give yourself some time to relax and adjust," Adam said in a knowing and reassuring tone, holding her hands.
A few moments and a couple of deep breaths later, She-Ra reopened her eyes. She gave him a wan smile and said, "Oh, Adam, how good it is to see you! You can't imagine what it was like."
"Oh, yes I can, sis. Just take it easy, we're getting out of here and going home to Eternia as soon as we get Chelsea," Adam assured her. "How are you feeling otherwise?"
"I don't know. I just generally ache all over, but I can't seem to focus on anything in particular," she winced as she touched the bandage that wasn't quite covered by her tiara.
"Well, you've also got enough medicine being pumped into you right now to keep you from feeling too much," Adam said with a nod towards the IV line still in the back of her left hand. He noticed her eyes becoming less focused once more and how she was trying to smother another yawn. The drugs were trying to do their job and pull her back under. It was for the best he decided if she got more sleep in now. "Before you drift away from me here, Sleeping Beauty, you need to change back to Adora. I would have quite a bit of explaining your presence and I would not even want to try to get my way out of that one with her."
She-Ra gave Adam a tired smile as he helped her back to feet to make the change back to Adora. He stood right by her side to lower Adora back into the chair. He took the Sword of Protection from her loose grasp and slid it into place behind the Sword of Power in its scabbard. "I'm going to go get Seahawk and Mother and then we're going to get you out of here."
Adam strode to the door and opened it, just as his mother and Seahawk were returning with a wheelchair.
"Are we ready?" Marlena simply asked.
"Yes," was the simple answer? He looked to Seahawk, "Come on, let's get her loaded into the wheelchair."
"Right," Seahawk said, pushing the chair into the room. Adora barely stirred as he picked her up and deposited her in the chair, while Adam made sure the foot rest was adjusted properly so her right leg was supported, then hung the IV bag from the pole designated just for that on the back of the wheelchair.
"Give me a minute to start talking to Meghan and her friend, then come out and head for the ICU," Adam directed.
"Right," Seahawk answered with a short nod.
Marlena stopped Adam at the door to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and a bit of encouragement, "You can do this, Adam."
"Thanks, Mother," he said and headed for the far side of the nurses' station.
He never could recall exactly what he said to Meghan and her co-worker, but whatever it was, it was enough to have them both giggling like some of the more brainless courtiers that were single-minded in their pursuit of him. The minute passed and he saw Marlena gave the signal to move out to Seahawk. A few moments after they were out of sight, he managed to politely extricate himself from the two nurses and joined the others at a small lounge/waiting area just outside the ICU.
"What now?" Marlena asked him.
"I contact the Sorceress and let her know we're ready and then Seahawk and Adora go first, followed by you and I with Chelsea."
"Let's get moving then," Marlena said.
"Right," Adam answered, moving off to go contact the Sorceress once more. He moved past Darcie at her monitoring station and back into Chelsea's room. He pulled out Adora's sword once more and said, "Sorceress, we're ready. Seahawk will be coming through first."
"All right, Adam," the Sorceress' voice echoed in his head.
The portal opened and Adam turned to go get Seahawk and his sister. He stood guard in the doorway while his mother chatted with Darcie, keeping her distracted just enough to not notice that Seahawk and Adora hadn't come back out by the time Adam nodded to her that he was ready to go.
Once she was in the room with him, he explained to her what help he needed, "I can hold Chelsea, but I need your help to disconnect her from the monitoring equipment."
"Why don't I do that last? " Marlena commented quietly, helping Adam to undo the straps that kept Chelsea's left arm suspended while he worked to lower her left leg from its suspended state. Working together, it only took them a few moments to free her from the supports.
Adam carefully gathered her up in his arms and Marlena disconnected her from the monitoring equipment. Immediately, the alarms went off on the monitor and they could hear Darcie come scrambling from her desk.
"Go," Marlena ordered Adam. "I'll follow right behind you."
Adam moved quickly to the portal, with Marlena hot on his heals.
Darcie entered the room at a run as Marlena paused on the threshold and said, "I'm sorry, but we really must be going now."
Darcie was speechless as the portal disappeared as soon as Marlena stepped through it.