"Waiting"
I sat there and cried into Austin's shoulder for an endless amount of time. Nothing changed for what seemed like a life time; Austin and I were still alone, Ken was still in surgery, and I still felt horribly depressed and guilty. A slight change occurred when I heard approaching footsteps. I looked up and blinked away tears to see my family (the one in this life) coming down the hallway.
They were all there. My mom, wearing her pharmacist uniform and looking completely panicked. My dad, looking more concerned then ever before. Lydia, with tears streaming down her face. And Jake, dressed in his sweats and looking like he'd been dragged out of bed, but still completely freaked out.
"Oh honey!" my mom exclaimed, running over to me. I got up from the bench and wiped the tears away from my eyes. My mom hugged me tightly.
"Ken's in surgery," I said quietly, pointing to the door behind me, "No one's allowed inside."
"Oh honey what happened?" she asked, as a few tears trickled out of her eyes. My mom didn't cry often, and seeing her cry set me off the deep end. When I'd seen my family, I'd regained a teeny bit of composure; enough to stop my sobs. But seeing my mother cry caused them to start up again.
"We-we were in the parking lot," I sobbed, my voice shaking, "And I got into a f-fight with this girl, Lisa. And then-and then she pulled a knife on me. And when she-she came after me, Ken tackled her to the ground. He-he had her pinned but then she got her kn-knife back and she-she stabbed him in the gut. I don't know what happened after that . . . I-I was so angry that I attacked Lisa. I-I couldn't help myself, I was so angry that I had to do something. So-so I just started beating the living hell out of her . . ."
"Good," Jake snarled, "I'm gonna kill that bitch."
Neither mom or dad rebuked him for cursing, which is how I knew things were really bad.
"What happened after that?" my mom asked.
"S-someone dragged me off of her . . . and then she disappeared. That-that's when I saw them putting Ken into the ambulance," I sniffed, still crying, "S-so Domingo drove me, Kate, and Austin here."
I motioned to where Austin was sitting quietly on the bench behind me. I wasn't sure where Domingo or Kate where, but I didn't have time to worry about them right now. They were fine where ever they were and Ken was more important right now.
"Where's the doctor?" my dad demanded, going over to the operating room doors. He lifted his hand like he was going to pound on the door.
"No!" I shouted and he stopped, fist in mid air.
"What?" he asked.
"What if you startle someone and they mess up or something?" I exclaimed, "Just wait, the Doctor promised me he'd give me an update."
My dad sighed, seeing my logic, and lowered his hand.
"So what?" Lydia demanded, "We just sit here and wait?"
"I can't just sit and wait," Jake said, shaking his head back and forth, "I-I have to be doing something." Jake was starting to crack a little-I could see it. I was surprised he wasn't worse. Him and Ken were like me and Kate. Only in their case, instead of being twins mentally, they were twins physically. Jake and Ken were almost always together. Despite being complete opposites, they got along much better then most siblings. They were best friends. How Jake could be so calm when his twin- his best friend -may be dieing behind those doors, was amazing to me.
"How about we go get something to eat, okay Jake?" Lydia offered.
"Okay," Jake mumbled, and they both shuffled away.
"Well I'm going to find a doctor," my dad said, and I could tell that he was pissed, "Somebody needs to give me answers."
My dad stomped down the hallway, and my mom looked back and forth frantically between him and me.
"I'll be right back honey," she told me, following after my dad.
"Sweetheart wait," she called, catching up to him as they turned a corner.
I collapsed back on the bench, snuggling up against Austin's side as he stroked my hair soothingly as I started crying again. I made these chocked sobbing sounds as I tried to get a hold of myself. "Shhhhhh it's going to be okay," Austin cooed, "Ken's going to be fine. I promise. Shhhhhh, everything's going to be alright. . ."
I continued crying until I felt something shift in the air around us. I looked up, blinking away tears to see my mother (Prima) standing there, flanked by her cloaked escorts. I had been too angry before to really look at her but now I realized that she was dressed in her usual fancy attire - a silky grey gown and had her curly hair pinned up.
I wiped my eyes and sprung up from the bench. "Give it back," I growled. I was still horribly depressed, but I was also angry with my mother for taking away my magic.
"You can have your magic back when you calm down," she said primly.
"Calm down? Calm down!" I demanded, "How the hell am I supposed to calm down when my brother might be dieing behind those doors!"
"Your brother will be fine," she said, seeming impatient.
I really wanted to believe her; really, truly did. But I didn't. "You don't know that," I snapped, "You think you know everything, just because your physic, but you don't. You didn't even know I was your daughter. Seeing the future doesn't make you omniscient."
"That's not how I know your brother will be alright," she said, "I know because one of my healers got to him before the EMT's did. It's because of the healing she did that he was able to make it here. Without it, that Shadow Slayer's blade would have killed him. You owe my healer your brother's life."
The cloaked figure standing directly to her left lifted their hood. She was a witch with a tattoo of a white dove on her forehead. She had baby blue eyes and long, auburn colored hair. She smiled at me. This was obviously the healer that saved my brother.
"I can't tell you how thankful I am," I said, reaching out and shaking her thin hand vigorously,"If it wasn't for you my brother would be dead. Thank you."
"Your thanks isn't necessary," she told me, "I was more then happy too."
"Still," I insisted, "I'm extraordinarily thankful. Anything you need, you just let me know.
"Honestly, it isn't necessary."
"Now Rose," said my mother, "It's quite alright."
Rose nodded, obeying my mother's command. "Your welcome," she said before pulling her hood back over her head.
"Why are you guys here?" I asked my mother.
"Two reasons darling," she said, "One, I saw that you were in distress. And two, there was a mass attack on immortals in the area."
"Shadow Slayers?" Austin asked, rising to his feet and standing next to me. He had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since my mother arrived.
"Yes," she said, "It seems like your run in with that young Shadow Slayer did not happen by chance. We believe they were planning this attack for a while."
"Oh my God, did they kill anybody?" I asked, worried.
"A wish granter in the next town over was killed," she said, "But so far, the ones that have been found, are thought to survive. Immortals aren't killed quite so easily."
"That's awful," I said, "Why would they do that?"
"I can not pretend to understand the twisted working of a Shadow Slayers mind," she said.
I nodded; those guys were obviously all crazy.
"We need to be going," my mother said, "There are other immortals my healers need to attend to."
"Wait, before you go, can I have my magic back?" I asked.
"Not yet," she told me, "Not until we humanely dispose of that Shadow Slayer you have a bone to pick with."
"She's still alive!" I demanded, "You have to let me kill her! She betrayed me! She tried to kill me! She nearly killed my brother!"
"I'm sorry Aella," she said, "But we don't believe in torture. That is why I can not give you back your magic until the Shadow Slayer has been dealt with."
"But that's not fair!" I exclaimed, "I deserve this!"
"Rules are rules Aella," she told me.
The small cloaked figure to her right lifted their hood, to reveal that it was Vitani. She had the tattoo of the little black fairy visible on her forehead and her wide purple eyes looked displeased. "But mom-" she began, sounding concerned.
"Silence Vitani," my mother commanded harshly.
Vitani scowled and growled lowly, which was something Vampires usually did, not so much witches.
"But mom we could-" she started again.
"Did I not tell you to be silent Vitani?" our mother demanded.
She snorted unhappily, but obeyed and pulled her hood back up.
"Now," my mother said, "There is one last thing I almost forgot to tell you. The Council meeting tomorrow, I'd like both you, and Austeralgo to attend."
"Why?" I asked suspiciously. I was already planning on going, but why did she want me to go?
"Because I will also be attending," she said.
"But you haven't gone to Hades in centuries!" I exclaimed.
"Things have changed," she said, "And there are important matters to be discussed. I expect to see you both there."
"But-" I began.
"I'll see you tomorrow Aella," she cut me off before her and her escort vanished into thin air.
There was a second long intermission before a doctor walked out of the operating room, the one that had stopped me from going in.
"I have good news," he said, approaching us, "Your brother is going to life. We're going to have to keep him in the ICU for a while, but he is expected to make a full recovery."
"Oh thank God," I sighed, hugging Austin tightly. I'd already known he was going to live -thanks to my mother- but hearing it from a doctor was much more reassuring.
"Are your parents around?" asked the doctor as I continued to cling to Austin.
"Yeah," I said, "They actually just left to go look for a doctor. I'll find them."
"Thank you," he said, "When you find them, tell them to come to the front desk to sign some papers. From there the secretary will tell them where to find me. I'd like to talk to them."
"Okay," I said as he disappeared back into the OR. I continued to hug Austin tightly for a while more. I was just so consumed with relief that if I didn't hold onto someone I'd probably collapse. It took a minute for my head to clear and for me to realize that I was probably hugging him too tightly, and was probably hurting him. Although, he'd never admit it, especially not then.
I let go of him and said, "C'mon, let's go find my parents."
"I'm sure they'll be relieved," he said, grabbing my hand. He had been oddly considerate and polite since Ken had been stabbed. It was weird; I never thought he knew how to act in these kinds of situations. I guess I was wrong.
Together we went to search for my parents. It didn't take very long; I could hear them arguing from around the corner. It sounded like my mom wanted to go back and wait outside the OR with me, but my dad wanted to keep looking for someone to give them answers.
"Mom!" I called as we rounded the corner, "Dad!"
They both turned around when they heard my voice. "What is it honey?" my mom asked.
Releasing Austin's hand, I ran forward and hugged my mother. She seemed surprised to say the least, but she hugged me back. "He's going to live," I told her; I was nearly crying with relief but I refused to cry any more that day, "Ken's going to be okay. They have to keep him in intensive care for now but he's going to be okay."
"Oh thank God," she said, hugging me tighter. I could tell by her voice that she was also on the verge of tears.
She released me and her and my dad hugged. "The doctor told me to tell you guys to go to the front desk to sign some stuff, and from there they'd tell you where to find him. he wants to talk to you." I told them.
"Good," my dad said. He was of course ecstatic that Ken was going to live, but he was also glad that he was finally going to get some answers.
"I'll meet you at the front desk honey," my mom said as they pulled apart, "I need to go find Jake and Lydia. They're probably worried sick."
My dad nodded and they both headed in opposite directions; leaving Austin and I alone.
"Thank you," I said, hugging him, gently this time.
"What for?" he asked.
"For being so good to me," I explained, "During this whole ordeal I've been a complete mess, and if it wasn't for you I'd have never gotten through it."
"Well it wouldn't be in my nature to abandon a damsel in distress, now would it?" he asked, switching back into Austin mode.
"Of course not," I said sarcastically, playing along, "But this damsel has one more favor to ask of you oh brave knight."
"And what would that be fair maiden?" he wondered, still keeping up the bit.
"You know a lot of important people in the Azimon world, right?" I asked, no longer playing along.
"Yeah . . .why?" he asked, also killing the medieval bit.
"Well . . . do you know anybody who would know where the Black Rose Coven would keep prisoners they plan to execute?" I asked. I wanted to be the one to kill Lisa, no one else.
"No . . . but you do."
"I do? Who?" I asked.
"Vitani," he told me.
"Oh my God, you're right!" I exclaimed, "I forgot about her! And earlier, she seemed like she agreed with me. I bet she'd be willing to help . . . but how am I going to get a chance to ask her?"
"Tomorrow," he said, "At the Council meeting. Prima is going, and she never goes anywhere without Vitani. She's like her right hand girl."
"You're right," I agreed, "I can ask her."
"We can ask her," he corrected.
"You're going to be at the Council meeting?" I asked hopefully. I really wanted to go but he'd already expressed how much he didn't want to go.
"Do you want me to be there?"
"Yes,"
"Then I'll be there."
so ik a lot of ppl r probably happy that ken lives; i just couldn't kill him . . . anyway, i have some new pictures 4 this story up on my profile. I have Mr. Kardigan, Jake, Ken, Athan, Attis . . . plus a much better pic of Prima and an even better picture of becca. I really like the new pic of becca, it looks exactly like how I imagined her. .. anyway, check them out and please review! :)