Over the next few weeks, I rested and healed. Jacob was right about the unbearable itching that came with healing came with both the tattoos and my leg. Kittie had me working on physical therapy exercises daily, and over the next two months, my leg healed back to normal, although I can tell when it's going to rain.
In the news, an EMT by the name of Jacob Chandler found a redheaded woman that met my description that died of an overdose of PCP. They doctored her life so that it was a young woman of the furry lifestyle that was stalked by Chadwick Parker and attacked him in a drug-fueled rage before her heart stopped shortly after. While I felt sorry for the young woman, I was glad my name was cleared. Also, there was mysteriously more police at certain tunnel entrances to discourage urban explorers and drug addicts.
Jermain and Mel came to see me every day and helped me from going absolutely stir crazy as I healed. Jermain spoke to the council about coming to live in the tunnels, they agreed as long as he continued with his studies.
"The world needs more environmental scientists with all this climate change," said Piper, "we could certainly use your help with water testing and soil levels."
"I'd rather use it here than rotting away at a corporate firm," said Jermain during the meeting, "and I get to be with the person I love."
He moved into my chamber shortly afterward, though many of the nights I was called out for sentry or patrol duty, and he was called to his studies. Our lives settled into a calm routine.
During this time, we saw Kitties' belly grow, the child was a boy and was developing normally. After eight months my nephew was born in the midwife chambers in the world below. The child looked completely normal, beautiful even with a fluff of dark hair and soft gray eyes.
Joe and Sadie were invited to the naming ceremony. I remembered Joe saying that the child had Catherine's eyes.
"We bring the child gifts so that we know that it is loved," said my father. "We then give the child a name, so that it is known."
"Vincent," said Jacob and Kittie in unison, my father smiled warmly.
"The child shall be known below and above as Vincent, and may he always be loved." My father then cradled his grandchild and he cooed.
"Alright dad, can I have my kid back?" asked Jacob after a half hour. My dad pouted and handed Vincent the second back to my brother.
"You know, Kittie and I might have a few more of these, start our own little army," said Jacob.
"Do we make enough to feed an army?" asked Kittie, "I'm calling it at three."
I held my nephew carefully and wondered if I would ever be a mother one day, and I heard C.C. 's voice in the back of my head I'm not gone forever, I'll be back in this plane one way or the other.
"What are you thinking?" asked Jermain.
"Nothing, love, just wondering about our future."
"We'll take it day by day," he said. Then in front of the council, he called an announcement.
"Vincent, er Wells, and Ms. Wells I have something to ask you," he said.
"Yes," said my parents.
"Do I have your permission to have your daughter's hand in marriage?"
I spit out my wine.
"I believe the permission would have to come from her, but you have our blessing," said my mother.
"Of course, I'll marry you, but you could have asked me in private," talk about putting me on the spot.
The next month, a week after my nineteenth birthday we were married, I wore a red gown and Mel had painted my claws red with ornate gold designs.
I remember being at the altar, everyone dressed in an array of red, white and black.
"Father, I love this man with all my heart, and I can love him because you loved before me. There is no great tragedy, only comfort here, he drives away my darkness and lets me rest, here there is only peace."
"When I first saw you," said Jermain, "you were this goofy little girl that cracked her head on the pavement trying to scare us away."
The congregation laughed.
"Then you told me the truth and I turned you away, only to see who you really were when you protected us. You are the fiercest, most passionate and most reckless person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We feel each other's emotions and know each other's pain, you are everything. This marriage would have been illegal a century ago, even if you were normal, because of my skin tone. People will always find a way to hate and separate each other, but because others have dared to love and changed the laws above, we can be together, and bring each other peace."
I could see tears in my father's eyes and my mother embraced him. I kissed Jermain and we were wed.
That night we walked outside to look at the buildings and saw the New World Trade Center, the giant oblong building that had been constructed over the ashes of the twin towers.
I
knew no matter how grave things became, and how dark humanity was, there was always hope. There are no happy endings because nothing ever ends, and we would have to fight my darkness and reckless nature in the future, but that is a story for another time.
