Chapter Thirty-Three

"So…" I fidgeted in my seat. My parents sat across from me on the couch. They exchanged worried glances but kept smiling at me. We planned a family meeting since we both had news to share. I offered to go first, but my mouth refused to admit my travel plans because every time I opened it, nothing came out.

"Why don't we start, then?" My dad offered.

I let out a breath of relief. "Yes, please."

My mom smiled. "We know your suspension hit you hard, and you're bouncing back the best you can."

"To support you during this break, we booked a nice vacation," my dad continued. "A summer adventure by Hume Lake for the family!"

The brightness of their beaming smiles destroyed my heart. Their light slowly dimmed as they noticed that I wasn't sharing the same enthusiasm. I lowered my head, slumping my shoulders.

Mom took my hand, squeezing it. "Sweetie?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Sorry?"

"I can't go."

"Oh, um." Dad seemed lost for words. He rubbed his chin. "Did you have other plans? Or maybe we should've asked where you wanted to go."

"No. That's not—." I sighed and took my hand back to grip my arms. "I love the lake. We've made such good memories there. I'm apologizing because I have decided that I'm going back to Arendelle."

They froze. My mother clutched her chest. Her eyes widened like she remembered my confession all those months ago. Perhaps she had tried to forget that I planned to leave one day. From my father's narrowed eyes and flapping mouth, seeming unable to find the right words, she never told him what I said.

"Aren—no, you' re—and you can't even—How? How is this happening?" Mom sputtered out.

"A friend taught me how to Travel. I have better control over my powers now." I somewhat lied.

Dad crossed his arms. "You're on suspension. If the Council finds out, you can get your friend in trouble. They can ban you from the Center forever!"

"Becoming a Traveler was never my real goal," I argued. "I used my trainer and everyone else to get my powers, so I could use them selfishly, not to help the world. It's really crappy, but I need to see Elsa."

"Alexis." My mom's sharp tone made me meet her stoic gaze. "Are you truly willing to sacrifice your future as a Traveler?"

I teared up. My mother couldn't know that her daughter might not have a future at all. As much as they needed to know about the prophecy, I lacked the courage to share the truth. I thought if I told Elsa first, my heart might harden enough to say it to them. The image of Alex crying on my shoulder popped back in my head. I hated that I had to break three more hearts.

I swallowed my cries and nodded. "I can't see a future without Elsa in it."

"Will you come back?" my dad's voice wavered.

"Of course!" This time I grabbed their hands. "Yes! That was the whole point of training. To learn to come back and forth between my two homes. Besides, I don't know how long this first visit will last."

"Don't be nervous, sweetie. She's probably not going to let you go once she sees you," my mother teased.

That's one of my fears, but I just laughed halfheartedly at the statement.

Dad wrapped an arm around Mom. "Guess we finally have to accept that it's only going to be the two of us now."

My heart stopped. The thought of my parents alone, unprotected, sent chills down my back. What if James came looking for me while I was gone? I hadn't planned to stay for more than a week or two. He could snatch them up, use them as leverage, and force me into defeat.

"What if you came with me?" I suggested. "Crazy, yes, but I want you guys to get to know Elsa. The first meeting didn't go so well. We can try again."

My mom waved me off. "We can't be your crutch. You two need alone time so that you can reconnect. Then, we'll visit."

"Are you sure? You get to stay in the castle again."

"You know, it was quite nice there," my dad said. Mom elbowed him, making him laugh. "What? I liked the bed."

"Fine," I relented. "If you guys don't come with me, at least, go on that vacation. You already booked it, so have fun while I'm gone."

"Oh, I don't know about that…" my mom began to refuse.

"C'mon. Make it an impromptu anniversary treat or just a break from me. I know I've been difficult, but you've really supported me through this rough time. I can't thank you enough."

They rushed to my side, hugging me tightly. Mom pressed a kiss to my forehead. "We'll always be here for you."

"You're not a burden to us," my dad added. "And if us going on this vacation will make you feel better…"

"It really will," I said.

"Then, I guess we have no choice. An adventure for us," he ruffled my hair "and an adventure for you."

Let's hope they both ended on a good note.

"So, they're gone?" Alex asked.

"Left this morning," I confirmed. "They looked happy, so that's good."

I sealed my last letter before I slipped it into the box with my parent's Removal Gems. Mentally checking off my list, I went over my emergency items. Instructions for Natalie and Val in case they can't reach me, which said to keep in contact with Alex and remain hidden from James. While I wanted to share the grim prophecy with my parents in person, I wrote it down if anything happened to me. At least, they would have their powers to use if needed. They'll kill me later for even stealing the Gems, but these were desperate times. I gave my dad's old pendant to Alex, so he could keep it safe until my parents needed to use it. I had my mother's packed away in my satchel.

"When do we hand these out?" I tested.

"If none of us hear from you in a month," Alex answered. He leaned against my desk with one hand, scrolling on his phone with the other. "And you better not get distracted by your girlfriend."

"You don't have to worry about that," I muttered. Once I revealed everything to Elsa, she might turn me away to stop further heartbreak, not that I'd blame her. If she begged me to stay, I'd have to cause her more pain and force myself to leave her again. Stuffing the negative thoughts back into the corner of my mind, I shoved the letters into Alex's backpack. He noticed my behavior and slipped his phone into his pocket.

"Are you ready to see her?" he asked softly.

"Yes?" I plopped in my desk chair. "But also, no?"

He grabbed a pen and post-it from my desk. "Tell me about your problems."

I smack them out of his hand. "Don't be a doofus."

"Let me inside your head. Share your secrets."

I rolled my eyes, but my amused smile fell. The excitement of my return to Arendelle struggled to drown out the potential complications. What if it wasn't the prophecy that drove us apart? Time may have created a divide. We could have changed into people that aren't compatible anymore. I brought my feet up on the chair and hugged my knees.

"Maybe this is a bad idea," I said.

Alex patted my back. "Don't say that."

"What if it's too different? If we're too different? We were only together for a few months. All this build-up and then, it's just a disappointment."

"Or your bond could be stronger! Things will be different, but you'll just fall in love with her all over again. You're gross like that. It's been said again and again that relationships take time and work and blah, blah, blah. The two of you gotta get around this obstacle."

"Why? To set up a path for a future that might not happen!" I pressed the heel of my hands into my eyes. I didn't want to cry about my possible death anymore. It's worthless at this point. "I shouldn't go and get her hopes up. We'll have this beautiful moment of bliss before I kill it. Say hello and goodbye in the same breath. I'm going to hurt her more than she needs to be."

Alex yanked my hands away, forcing me to face his glare. "So, the Traveler that she finally sees won't be you. It will be someone telling her you're dead. What's going to hurt more?"

I groaned. I hated it when Alex's right. Alex spun my chair around, gripped the back of my seat, and pushed me in front of my vanity. Handing me some tissues, he went through the make-up bag that I hardly touched. I was confused, but I followed his lead, dabbing at my eyes.

"You're nervous, I get it. Maybe, you'll feel more confident with a little touch-up." He poked my nose with a brush.

"Isn't that like an anti-feminist thought? That make-up will make me feel better?"

He lightly dusted my cheeks. "Don't you want to look nice for your girl?"

I raised my brows. "What if she likes my natural look?"

"Then, it's a good thing we're not going crazy." He handed me a pink lip gloss. "Just trust me. It will be very natural."

I scrunched up my nose, and Alex did the same expression. Obliging, I took the lip gloss. As I applied it, he pulled my hair out of my ponytail, so he could brush it. Alex gave my hair a dramatic fluff after he finished, blowing a chef's kiss at his creation. Rolling my eyes, I checked the results of the mini make-over. The small touches of color were refreshing even though nothing much changed.

I stood up and did a little spin. "Happy? How do I look?"

He genuinely smiled. "You look beautiful, Lex."

"Yeah, whatever." I tugged on the ends of my hair, not meeting his gaze, "You're my best friend. You have to say that."

"And when she says it? Then, it means something?"

"No, it just means you did a great job." I looked at him again. "Thank you. For supporting me through all this mess."

He hugged me. "Duh. I have to. I'm your best friend."

I squeezed him, burying my face into his shoulder. Another reason to fight. This couldn't be our last hug or our final good-bye. We stood there together, not wanting to think about what came next.

As night came and the house was empty, I checked my pack for the tenth time. I still had the supplies I needed. Said my good-byes. There was nothing left to do except try and land in Arendelle. During practice, it took me a few times to get the worlds I wanted. My failed attempts decreased to one or two mistaken arrivals before reaching the location correctly. That should leave me with just enough energy to travel to the kingdom if it happened again.

I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Time for the hike."

You could try from home this time.

"I'm used to the natural environment. Better not change anything to keep my focus."

I started to head out of my room when my phone buzzed. Before I could even pick it up, it continued to vibrate with new messages. Chase's name lit up the screen each time. Grabbing it, I scrolled through them. They increased in urgency. Between his apologies, he insisted that we should meet tonight to discuss something important.

Crap. What looked less suspicious? Turning off my phone and running off or agreeing to this meeting?

What if it's a trap?

"He seems scared, but it's hard to tell through a text. We could get information from him if it's a surrender."

If you're willing to take on this risk, I'll stand by your decision.

Staring at the screen, I watched three little dots appear and re-appear. Waiting for a reply or writing another desperate plea? I sighed, putting the phone down. "No, we have to go. It's not worth it."

I headed down to the living room. Only a few feet from my door, I heard three harsh knocks. I froze. No one should be here at this time. Another set of knocking echoed in the quiet house. The sound lingered in my ears, raising goosebumps on my arms. An unsettled feeling squeezed my stomach, and I knew I had to escape another way. The last time I ignored this rush of fear almost cost me my life. Running back up the stairs, I checked the old secret closet for any weapons. No longer locked, it appeared rummaged through. Most of the items were gone, so slim pickings for protection. A small dagger inside its sheath hung on one of the walls. I slipped it into my back pocket.

I held onto the handle of the dagger as I crept back into my bedroom. My heart clenched when I saw a shadow hovering in my window. They pounded on the glass, making me scream. Before I bolted back to the living room, a muffled voice yelled out to me. Peering closer, I recognized Chase as he clung on the edges, staring at me through the glass. He yelled once more to let him inside my room. Feeling trapped, I followed his orders, opening my window.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shouted as he climbed.

"You wouldn't answer the damn door!" Chase snapped.

"I didn't know it was you! Ever heard of stranger danger or home invasions? You gave me a heart attack!"

"That doesn't matter right now!" He sat on the window bench, holding his head. "Nothing matters anymore."

My anger dissipated. I reached out to touch him but stopped myself. "I don't understand."

Instead of answering, he lifted his head and looked at my satchel. "Were you going somewhere?"

I gripped the strap. "Meeting some friends. Just about to head out."

"Oh," he said weakly. Chase rubbed his left arm with his hand as his gaze fell to the floor again. "I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry."

"What's wrong? Why did you come to see me?"

Shaking his head, his fingers dug into his skin. "Everything is a mess. I didn't think it would go this far."

"Chase, what's wrong? Did something happen to you?" I crouched down, trying to find his face. I feared James might have hurt him. From what I could see, he had bags under his weary eyes. Something he had seen was haunting him. "Chase?"

"I'm not even sure if I can trust you," he whispered.

I frowned. "You can, but I don't know how to make you believe that."

"I don't either. I'm not sure where to turn to."

I sit next to him. "Say what you need to say. I won't ask for details."

"Okay." He inhaled a shaky breath. "I don't understand what my dad is doing. I want to stand by him, but something is tugging me away. I'm being torn in half."

Without saying anything, I allowed myself to hold his shoulder. I didn't want to overwhelm him.

He continued, "He told me about his… visions of the future, but maybe they aren't just visions. It could be an unavoidable reality. He's hoping I'll just fall in line with his plans. My head is so messed up because as much as I want to believe it's going to be good for us, for the world, the voice inside is saying something else."

"What's that voice saying?" I broke my silence, taking my opportunity. "The force that is making you hesitate?"

Then, Chase finally raised his head and stared straight into my eyes. "Why would a future that is so amazing and helpful for my family, and supposedly the world, going to cause so much pain?"

This was it. My chance to save Chase from the dark side. His opportunity to actually save everyone's fate instead of destroying it as he feared. I opened my mouth, but another voice replaced my own.

"Ah, there you are. Taking the prisoner without me?"

We both turned. A red-headed woman clung on to the frame of my window. She swung her body inside my room, forcing us to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit. I shot up, ready to defend with my fists held out, but Chase didn't share the same caution. He sighed, moving between us.

"What are you doing, Genevieve?" Chase huffed in annoyance.

She responded with a mocking pout. "Well, your poor father was terribly worried about you. He sent me to keep you safe."

Chase scoffed. "Yeah, right. Leave us alone."

"' Fraid I can't do that. Ol' daddy is making a strike and I thought that's why you were here. Getting ahead, so you could win some points with him."

Dropping my fists, I gaped at Chase. He winced when he peeked over his shoulder at me. I felt my heart deflate, now knowing my extended hand would never be accepted by him. Glaring, I backed away from both of them.

"You lied to me," I stated, coldly. "I actually felt bad for you."

Chase faced me, shaking his head. "No! This wasn't supposed to happen, I swear!"

"But, it's happening." Genevieve flicked him to the side, waltzing up to me. "Don't make this hard. James has a few questions that you're going to answer."

She advanced, barely giving me time to react. I yanked the dagger out of my pocket and swung. It sliced through Genevieve's flesh like fabric. I wasn't sure if the blade made contact at all until I saw the blood on its tip. Genevieve hissed, pulling her hand back. Red dripped over the sides of her palm.

Clenching her wounded fist, Genevieve growled, "You little bitch."

Shit.

With a thrust of her hand, a sonic wave chucked my body across the room. I crash into the wall. The pain exploded in my back, knocked the breath out of my lungs. Through the ringing in my ears, I hear the soft clatter of the dagger. Genevieve stalked toward me. A lion coming to collect her prey. In the corner of my eye, I spot my weapon lying close to my hand. I remained limp until she got close enough, reaching down to grab me. No longer holding back, I snatched the dagger, plunging the blade in her thigh.

Genevieve howled. I ducked under her clawing hand, running out of the room. All the possible hiding spots ran through my mind as I scrambled down the stairs. Did I have time to run out the door? I could try to fight them if it came down to it. At the last step, something zoomed behind me, crashing into the wall. I screamed. Splintered pieces of my now broken desk chair scattered on the floor. Maybe fighting the angry witch wasn't the best idea.

Something smaller came speeding at me. I didn't have a chance to avoid this one. My dagger, back for vengeance, stabbed me in the right shoulder. Before I could register the pain, it pulled out and struck again at full force. The wound pulsated, rippling pain down my arm. I gave out a yell. The wet heat of my blood streamed down to my fingers.

"Ready to surrender?" Genevieve's voice echoed as if other people spoke with her. Through my tears, I watched her float to the bottom of the stairs.

I stared into her dark glowing green eyes. "Never."

"You're better off dead, anyway," she sneered. When she held a fist in the air, I felt a pressure around the hilt of the dagger. Jerking her hand back caused the blade to slip out of my skin again. Holding my bleeding injury, I rushed to safety. The weapon whistled as it chased after me.

"STOP!"

I turned to see Chase tackling Genevieve to the ground. The dagger zipped past me and stabbed the wall.

She fought him. "What the hell are you doing!"

Alexis! Leave now! Logan urged. Nodding, I ripped the dagger out of the wood panel. It's all I had to protect myself until I could get the sword back. I tried to keep my focus while I watched the two of them struggle. Warmth rained down. The glow beneath my feet caught their attention. Chase's eyes widened in horror. It's the last thing I saw before I flashed away.

A/N: The update schedule I had planned did not work out due to the pandemic. I have not been fortunate enough to quarantine or work from home. I am an essential worker which leaves me very little time to work on any writing. I have seen your worries about the continuation of the story, and I have promised to finish no matter how long it takes. I hope the update eases your mind for a bit because I was really trying not to disappear for too long again. My priorities are different at the moment, so all I can ask for is patience, but I understand if it's annoying to hear. There's not much I can do, but I can tell you that I appreciate how much you love this story and are eager to read it. It makes me so happy during these dark times. I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but any reviews that only ask about an update won't get a response because the chapter is technically a response, right? Hopefully, I can get the chapters that were supposed to be posted along with this one up soon.

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Review Responses:

RPGQueen888: Thank you for the kind words and don't worry, I was thinking of doing Elsamaren ficlets, but we'll see if it can happen. They have such great potential story ideas.

Gage the Hedgehog: Yup, visions can be intense, especially if they have hints of the future.

BoilWater: I'm happy to hear that my story kept you engaged. The earlier chapters aren't that great to me, but somehow it convinces people to come this far. I also wish I had more consistency, but this is for fun. My life only allows so much time. It does seem crazy that years of work can be binged in two days. And there's still so much to explore! Hopefully, you stick around to read it.

Kinkotsu: Thank you! Yes, Olaf did hurt. His goodbye really got to me.

Guest: Your love for this story makes me so happy! Yes, I will continue and finish!

Ditdot: Hope you loved this chapter as well. Thank you for giving my stories a chance!

masterdude94: You're very sweet! I'm relieved to hear that you enjoyed the worldbuilding and character. Frozen 2 will probably be featured. Just differently than the story in the movie.

H. R. C. Stanley: Welcome to the sequel my friend! Glad to see you're enjoying it, but you're catching up. Gotta start updating faster haha.