Fiat Lux 2: Life After Death

Summary: It's been over two and a half years since my boyfriend murdered me. After I came back, one of my friends and I decided to team up to take down The Family, a supposedly clean group of supers with a dirty past.

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Chapter Twelve

It Ends Tonight

The day of my meeting with the judge, I was as nervous as heck. I had Zach, Will, and Layla helping me get ready (neither Ethan nor Magenta could get off work), but even they couldn't help much.

"Just think, Tish," Zach said, yet again trying to be helpful. "No matter which way it goes, it ends tonight."

"Gee thanks, little bro," I said, rolling my eyes. "I feel lots better now."

"Is your dad gonna be there?" Layla asked, changing the subject.

"I'd like to know the answer to that one, too," I said, turning to Zach. He shrugged.

"As far as I know," he said. "I don't know how he'd miss it. But you won't be allowed to see him until after the meeting anyway."

"That's such bull," I said darkly, scuffing the toe of my shoe against the tile floor of the hospital hallway, where we were waiting for an elevator, each of us decked out to the nines. The others looked at me. "I know why I can't see him, and I understand, but it just makes me so mad that even when I was in a coma he couldn't come visit me, in case I just happened to wake up." They weren't really sure how to respond to that, but each managed an apologetic look.

Finally, the elevator arrived at our floor. We all piled in, startling the person that was already in there. Layla glanced apologetically toward him, but other than that we ignored him. I silently fumed while the elevator descended towards the ground. The ride to the courthouse was much of the same, and we sat in silence outside of the judge's chambers. Finally I was motioned in, and my friends gave me somber, yet encouraging, smiles as I went through the door.

The judge was actually The Judge, an old super that had the ability to sense when someone was telling the truth. Which made this hearing pretty unnecessary, at least in my mind. The Judge smiled kindly at me under his handlebar moustache.

"Hello, Leticia," he said.

"Judge," I replied with a nod. "But I'm a little confused. If you can sense when someone is telling the truth, why am I even here?"

"Formality," he said. "And the fact that I wasn't here when Mr. Peace gave his testimony."

"So, when we're done here, everyone can go home?" I asked. He nodded. "Even Warren?" He nodded again. "Then let's get this cart rolling."

He smiled at me and shuffled through some papers on his desk. "Alright. This conversation will be recorded for legality's sake. Is that okay?" I nodded, and he clicked a button on a small recording device. "On June 17, 2007, what were you doing in Valparaiso, Indiana?"

"We were searching for Warren's grandfather," I said nervously.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," The Judge said. "Just remain calm and we'll get through this in a timely fashion." I took a deep breath and nodded. "Now, which grandfather were you searching for?"

"His paternal grandfather," I answered.

"And why?"

"We wanted answers," I said. He looked at me, his face telling me to explain.

"If you care to remember," I began, "back in my freshman year, Royal Pain tried to take over the school we both went to, Sky High." The Judge nodded, and I continued. "During her attempt, I died. And here's where the confusing part comes in. When I died, the ghost, or specter, or spirit, I don't know what you'd call it, but the one of Warren's mother somehow entered my mind and brought me back to life. During that time, she spoke to Warren, through me, and spoke to me in my mind. She told me about Warren's father, and how good of a man he was, and how his family murdered her and he went insane. After she left, I came too, and Warren and I decided that we would find the Battles, a.k.a. The Family."

The Judge had been nodding along, as if he'd heard the spiel before. "And what happened on the 17th of June?" he asked.

I took another deep breath before going on. "We found them. Or, rather, they ambushed us at a place where we had been looking for them. They dragged us into an old torture chamber." He held up a hand to stop me, and I obliged.

"Why did neither of you resist?" he asked. "According to the ISC, you both have rather vigorous abilities."

"They filled the room with Hydrogen gas," I said, shaking my head. "Even the smallest spark would've set it off."

"So what happened?" he asked.

"Well, after a fair amount of torture, which was why I was in the hospital, I realized that I could use my powers without causing a spark."

"And how exactly was that?" he inquired.

"Well," I said, "you see, my powers deal with light and heat, rather than flames. So as long as I didn't heat anything up so much as to light it on fire, I wouldn't set off the hydrogen. Warren turned to get help, and Inferno lit a match."

"That explains the destruction," The Judge said, "but what about those implications against Alex North?"

"Inferno implicated him," I said. "Said he'd had him since election. We had it in writing, but that was destroyed in the explosion."

"How extensive were your injuries?" he asked.

"Puncture wounds all over, broken leg, a couple of broken ribs, 2nd degree burns on all of the skin that was exposed, and just all-around busted up," I said nonchalantly. The Judge rifled through his papers and showed me a genuine smile.

"And I believe you're done," The Judge said. He motioned toward an empty door, and it swung open, revealing a really relieved, tall, tan, long-haired man.

"Warren!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. I ran to him and threw my arms around him, hugging him something fierce.

"Hey, you," he said, hugging me back. The Judge cleared his throat, and we separated, our arms still around each other. He shooed us out of his office and closed the door behind us. After exchanging hugs with everyone, Warren and I went to walk.

"Are you alright?" I asked once we left the courthouse. He nodded, pulling me closer to his side.

"How about you?" he asked. I reveled in his baritone voice.

"All healed up," I said. "I'll bear the scars for the rest of my life, but I'm healed. And I did something for you." I stepped away and dug into my pocket, pulling out an envelope. I handed it to him and he looked at me with one eyebrow up. "Go ahead, open it."

He opened it and I watched as his face went from confused to shocked in a matter of paragraphs as he read my appeal for Barron Battle's release.

"Tish," he said, "Tish! This is perfect! How did you come up with this?" I shrugged.

"Sitting in my hospital bed," I said. "I had lots of time to think, between homework and sleep." Warren nodded slowly. "I was actually thinking about our temporary insanity conversation, and it gave me the idea." Warren continued to nod as a wide grin spread across his face.

"Which one?" he asked cockily. Blushing, I pushed his shoulder with mine, though the height difference made it more his upper arm.

"The second one," I said, also grinning. We had managed to walk to a park a few blocks down from the courthouse, and I sat on a swing and he began to push me. "So now what?"

"Pardon?" he asked.

"Now what do we do?" I asked. He stopped the swing and came around to crouch in front of me.

"Well," he said, "I'd like to take you to dinner, and, if all goes well, possibly the movies. From there, it's up to you." I smiled, and he leaned forward, and our lips met. It tasted like heaven. I had finally come home.

Later that night, when we finally made it to my house, the lights were all off. We walked inside and all of our friends and families were in there, and the lights flicked on to shouts of 'Surprise!' and 'Welcome home!' from Will's family, Warren's family, Layla's family, Magenta's family, Ethan's family, and Dad, and even a 'Happy Get-Out-of-Jail-Day!' from Zack.

A/N: Well, there you go. Another story finished. Yay! Oh, and for those of you that were wondering, Perfect was done by Simple Plan. Woohoo! And, as per last time, I'll give you the answer to this chapter too. It Ends Tonight was by the All-American Rejects. Well, Part Deux down, Part Trois to go… (that means part two down, part three to go). So, see you when I get the next one ready!

L8s,

Fyre of the Funeral Pyre.