(Forced) Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own words, which will be used in a way that Bae Oh sees fit. I am not being forced to say this; and my branch leader, the wonderfully kind, courteous, and generous Bae Oh is certainly not standing over me with his own specially modified taser.

Secrets Too Great
Chapter Eleven
Home

Vera landed the craft on the rubble of her mother's favorite house. Fiske had only been here once: when Grace and Nathaniel were house hunting. He didn't know all that had happened here; Grace's death, her will signing, and her funeral, when McIntyre (that double-crossing Madrigal!) had sent her only grandchildren on a wild goose chase across the globe. It was only luck— and the au pair Vera had hired—that had kept them alive this far. She gazed at what had once been the most beautiful structure in Coastal Massachusetts and her heart sank. She had visited her old home twice since her mother's death: three hours after Grace died, and after she thought Amy and Dan had been killed in South Korea. The mansion had been burned down by the idiotic Eisenhower Holt, true, but some semblance of its' once-imposing stature remained.

Vera shook away what could have been tears as she lookied at what was her mother's favorite house. There were so many painful memories here. Vera remembered stealing fresh cookies from the kitchen with her sisters. Learning to read in one of Grace's many hidden libraries. Giving her mother the shivering, scrawny kitten that had nearly drowned in the flood outside, a cat that now belonged to Amy and Dan. Holding Amy, and then Dan, for a little while when they were babies. Watching them grow up with Beatrice, from a distance. Seeing when she pawned them off on nanny after nanny.

Vera cared more about family than anything. That was why she had to stay in the shadows, chasing after threats on her own. To keep them safe.

She picked up her uncle and carried him, like a child, to the only surviving building. The cabin. It had been an afterthought of Grace and Nathaniel to have a safe place in case of an emergency. They had been worried about Isabel Hollingsworth-Vesper's new pyromaniac tendencies, and decided to build a little cottage-like haven, tucked away in the woods. It was home to a series of underground tunnels that connected to the mansion's main laboratory. Where there were hospital rooms. With medical supplies. To help Fiske. She ran through the door and punched in the code: Maddy. It opened silently and Vera sprinted, not stopping until she made it to the room with oxygen masks.

She quickly hooked him up to the IV, a mask and breathing machine, and listened for a pulse. There wasn't one. Vera's own heart skipped a beat. "C'mon Fiske," she muttered, blinking away tears for the second time that day. "Damn allergies," she muttered to herself, preparing to use the "Paddles of Life"$ onn her uncle. He silently endured shock after shock without moving. She finally stopped, and looked at him. "I'm sorry, Uncle Fiske," she whispered. It was so cruel for him to die this way after everything else he had gone through since he had been abducted.

She heard a noise in the doorway and spun around. Nellie Gomez was standing there. "Is he gone?" she asked in a barely controlled voice.

Vera nodded mutely. "I thought I could save him. I was wrong. Are..." she trailed off and gulped. "Are they here?" Nellie nodded. "Bring them in, then," Vera said quietly.

This was NOT how Amy and Dan were supposed to meet her. Not on the ruins of Grace's grounds. Not with no balloons or streamers. Not with Vera dirty and broken. Not with Fiske...coughing? "Uncle Fiske?" she asked. He coughed again.

Amy and Dan walked in. "Someone wants to say hi, dudes," Nellie said.

"Um..hi," Vera said shakily, worried about how they would take the news. "I'm your...aunt, I guess. I'm Vera. And this is your Uncle Fiske. You're going to live with us now," she explained.

Amy and Dan's grins almost left their faces.

PLEASE DON'T HATE ME TOO MUCH FOR NOT UPLOADING! That chapter had about four different variations that I eventually threw out and completely rescripted. I had to try and get it so that I liked it enough. It's really difficult (for me) to write those types of emotion. I hope you liked it! Please comment! NOTE: There are only two chapters left, and one of them is an epilogue...

I'm excited to finish this!

~IceCreamGurl6455