Chapter 6

There was a blinding flash. Or at least what I thought was a blinding flash. I had been out for some time. When I awoke all I saw were hospital lights. I looked to my right. It was mid-afternoon. The sun was shining brightly and I could see the roof. I must have been on a higher floor. I looked down and saw my wrist bandaged. I was also bound with an IV and wearing a hospital braclet. Much better than that moonstone bracelet. I looked over to my left and Charlie was sitting up in a chair asleep. Also sound asleep on Charlie was little Bryan. Though he had a pacifier in his mouth and was covered up by his favorite zoo animal blanket. I closed my eyes and smiled against my own pillow. We were safe. By the time I opened my eyes again it was dark out. My room was empty.

I reached over and hit the call nurse button. I waited for a few

minutes then a nurse finally entered my room.

"Hello Harmione, I'm Nurse Amelia is everything okay?"

"Um...Hi Amelia, do you know where my husband is?"

"He and the baby left around seven, he'll be back up here in the morning to take you home."

"Oh...okay thank you."

"Yes mam, ring me if you need anything."

I tried to drift back off to sleep when she left, but I already felt well rested. I just wanted to see Bryan and Charlie. The next morning Charlie brought me a change of clothes. A tank top and a pair of sweats along with my tennis shoes. I changed and put my hair in a ponytail.

We got in his truck and left the hospital around 8:30. As he drove he put one hand on the wheel and the other on my thigh.

"Hungry, want some breakfast?" He asked.

"Where's Bryan?"

"Home...Dee's there."

I sighed.

"Oh...Dee."

"She brought Harvey too I think he and Bryan needed this time together."

I nodded and put my elbow on the window and my fist on the side of my head.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine...You?"

He took my other hand and kissed my knuckles.

"I'm fine."

"You said something about breakfast?"

"Yeah, want some?"

"Mm-hm."

Charlie smiled.

"Good..."

Instead of taking me to a restaurant he took me back home.

"Thought you wanted to see Bryan first."

There were cars parked in the street by our house.

"Charlie...what's going on?"

"Come on."

He took me over to the garage and punched in our code to open it. As the door slowly came up I saw some people I knew. Daddy, Mom, Gwen and Kevin. Grampa Max, Grampa Carl, Nana Sandra, my brothers, and Genesis. I even saw Sierra, Kim, Irene, Lacey, and Jaynie.

"Welcome home Harmione!" They shouted.

I screamed.

"Oh my gosh, you guys!"

Behind them was a large table of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage. Next to the buffet of food Deanna and Bryan. Harvey was now two and was sitting at her feet playing with some toy cars. I teared up and walked over to Deanna.

"How you feeling hon?" She asked.

"I feel blessed."

Deanna smiled and I took Bryan from her. Everyone clapped. Dad hugged me and stroked Bryan's head.

"We looked into Franz Lovelace." Gwen spoke up. "His family had enslaved those poor aliens for almost 120 years."

"We never picked up on any of them cause they weren't exactly doing anything wrong..." Kevin said after.

"Apparently the Lovelace company had used their brain power and ideas to manufacture their products; so really the only crime they were commiting was fraud...but after they attacked you and your family the Plumbers decided to question them." Gwen contiued. "But none of them had any memory of the last 120 years...so they took them to a planet Vilgax won't find them and erased Franz's memory as well."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He's currently at the Bellwood Behavioral of Health Hospital." Kevin answered. "After we erased his memory he kept mumbling about snakes trying to eat his face off as his only known memory...he should be fine though...you know with some therapy in about... 20 to 30 years."

"Dad...and Vilgax?"

"Azmuth is currently tracking him, and keeping tabs on him...while you were fighting Franz we fought against him and placed him in the Null Void...He won't be coming after you or sending anyone else after Bryan."

I gasped. We were finally free from his torture.

"Charlie!"

I ran over to him and he embraced Bryan and I warmly.

"Well now that that's taken care of kids...let's eat!" Grampa Max shouted.

"Yeah but no squid sauce Grampa!" I heard my Dad tell him.

"You don't know what you're missing boy!"

We had an outdoor picnic breakfast. Having my family so close to me, made me melt on the inside. I don't think I stopped smiling since the garage door opened. As I sat next to Charlie on a blanket, Dad came over to me carrying Bryan.

"You uh...really grew up on my Har." He said softly. "And here we are with my grandson...who wouldn't be here without the two of you."

"In all due respect sir...I kinda just watched, Harmione did all the work." Charlie explained. I gasped and nudged his shoulder.

"You modest little dork, we both saved Bryan and you know it!"

"I did what I could."

"Taking that bracelet off me so I could regain my strength was really brave Charlie...I know you hated to cut into me like that...but without you I wouldn't have been able to save Bryan."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Well...it doesn't really matter who did what...the point is I found out I don't have to worry about my Harmione or my grandson twice as much as I do...since they have you..."

Dad stuck his hand out to Charlie. Charlie shook his hand.

"Thank you...sir."

"Ben."

"Thanks Ben."

I smiled shyly.

"Charlie!" We heard a familiar voice call out. It was his mom Dana and his dad Ray.

"Hey! Excuse me a minute babe."

"Okay..."

Charlie stood up and ran over to his mom and hugged her.

"So good to see you."

"What's this about a pancake breakfast, get over here!" His dad teased and hugged him.

"He's a good man Harmione."

I looked back at my Dad.

"He's great..."

Dad nodded and looked down. I got to my feet and hugged him.

"But he'll never be as great as my Dad...I love you Daddy."

"I love you too babygirl."

"Mmm Mommy." Bryan mumbled.

"What baby, well come here...come here to me!"

He giggled and reached for me. I laughed slightly and took him from Dad.

"Awww oh ho!" I nuzzled my nose to his. Bryan just laughed.

"I...I've never been more proud of a person than you Harmione."

I smiled and a lining of tears came to my eyes.

"I take after my Daddy..."

"Yeah...but I see a lot of Hope in you...your strength...your compassion...you're everything that made me smile again when I found your mother...you've surpassed all I could ever want in a daughter."

Silent tears began to drop from my eyes, as I just stood there and smiled.

"I'm sorry...I know you've just wanted to live a normal life but-"

"Dad...the only reason I'm the way I am is because of everything you and mom ever gave me...you've given me everything...and to me my life is as normal as anyone else's...this beautiful family...my friends...this is my life and I will always fight to keep it."

Dad smiled and leaned into kiss my cheek. Bryan pushed him away.

"No Pawpaw no!"

Dad and I laughed.

"What...I can't kiss your momma?"

Dad leaned in again. Bryan pushed him away again. I Iaughed and adjusted my grip on him.

"What about you can I kiss you...what about these little fingers huh?"

Dad pretended to bite his fingers. Bryan screamed.

"Or this belly huh, huh?!"

Dad began to tickle Bryan he screamed and laughed. I laughed with him.

"No, no get away from my baby!" I screamed.

Bryan tried to hide his face in my shoulder. Dad just tickled his feet. He squirmed and chuckled.

"No Pawpaw stop, tell him; Bryan, tell him!"

"Nay nay Pawpaw nay, Mama!"

Bryan grabbed me around the neck. Dad and I got choked up on spit as we laughed. The guests slowly left one by one; and with my parents and Gwen and Kevin back I didn't have to watch my brothers or Genesis any longer. I kinda missed the noise. Charlie and I got the yard and the garage picked up. It was closer to lunch time when we were by ourselves again. Although we couldn't eat another bite.

I sat on the blanket in the shade and just watched Charlie play with Bryan. Bryan stood on Charlie's feet and Charlie held his wrist.

"Ready...1...2...3...whee!" Charlie picked him and spun him around. Bryan just laughed each time he did it.

"Again!" He would scream.

"Again?!" Charlie shouted back. "You've gone around eight times!"

"Gin, gin gin Daddy!"

Charlie sighed breathlessly. "You want to walk over to your Mommy, let's go...let's go Bry!"

Bryan cooed. He was finally talking at least 4 to 5 words. He was growing up on me.

"Come on Bryan you can do it." Charlie cheered as he held tight to Bryan's wrists.

"Let him go babe, let him try on his own." I told him promptly.

Charlie slowly let go. Bryan swayed a bit and then sat down.

"Ooop." Charlie mumbled. "Here we go."

Charlie picked him up and squated behind him. He held his hands out in case Bryan fell backward.

"Come here Bryan...Come here baby." I assured him lovingly.

He grinned at me.

"Yes...come here baby!" I said with a smile.

He tried to take his first steps and fell forward. Charlie caught him and held his stomach.

"Okay...help him Char."

"Wanna go see Mama, let's go see her buddy."

Charlie stood Bryan on his feet and held his wrists. As Charlie walked, Bryan took steps closer to me. I snatched him up and kissed his cheek. Charlie smiled brightly.

"Won't be long until he'll be able to walk without my help.

Charlie sat down next to us and stroked the back of Bryan's head.

"He's our miracle baby..." I replied. "Our beautiful...beautiful miracle baby."

Charlie kissed the side of my head as I kissed Bryan's.

"Dada!"

"What?!" Charlie teased and held out his hands. "You wanna come back to me?"

Bryan went to Charlie. He grabbed Charlie's face and kissed him.

"Awww!"

Bryan clapped.

"Thank you son...that was nice...and wet...how bout Mommy? Give her a big o' wet one!"

He leaned Bryan over to me. He kissed my cheek. I felt nothing but drool.

"Ewww!"

"Don't wipe that off now!"

Out of habit I accidentally did.

"Oh no, don't wipe my son's kisses away, should I get her Bryan, should I get her?"

Bryan giggled and sucked his finger.

"I'm gonna get her."

"No! Charlie!"

Charlie put Bryan down on the blanket. He laughed as Charlie chased me around the yard and behind a tree.

"Bryan!" I screamed.

Charlie caught up to me and grabbed me around the waist, he then swung me around in a circle.

"Charlie, no!"

Charlie leaned forward into my ear and nibbled my earlobe. I screamed and Charlie laughed.

This was my home. This was my family. And I was going to fight for it.

Forever.