Hey there, my friends!

How are y'all doing out there?
Hope the virus isn't slowing your life down as it does to mine, but I know that a lot of people out there are in the same boat as I am, unfortunately.
It sucks, big time.
But there's not much to do about it, which makes it even more frustrating, I guess.

Aaaanywayz.
Thank you all so much for your reviews, your kind words and support mean so much to me, you have no idea.
Every time I get an e-mail I squeak like a little girl, bwahaha.
After that, I can't stop smiling for at least the next five hours or so, hehe.
Crazy.

And now, without further ado, the next chapter.
Hope you like it! ^^

Chapter 27

"Why don't you wait here while I go upstairs to talk to Zevvie", Kiwi suggested as she closed the heavy door behind them before putting the key back in her pocket.
Abigail had given her one soon after they decided that she needed to visit Zevvi a couple of times to get to know her before she would move to the base.
"You know, to prepare her."
Vinnie put his hands in his pockets as he looked around him, clearly a bit awed by the big house.
"Sure thing, sweetheart", he responded, trying to sound confident, but he failed miserably, much to his annoyance.

Kiwi hesitated for a moment, contemplating if she needed to calm his nerves, but she then decided that probably nothing could at this moment.
Still, after a short hesitation, she reached out her hand and let her fingers slide through the soft fur on his cheek before she turned around and walked to the stairs, leaving a very nervous white-furred mouse alone with his thoughts.

Not really knowing how to deal with this tremendous amount of stress in his body, Vinnie made his way into the living room, still a bit impressed by the beauty of the house.
Although it was bigger, it still kind of reminded him of the house he grew up in and it filled his stomach with the defining nauseating feeling of homesickness, suddenly longing back to those happier times.
Times where he still had his sister by his side, who protected him and supported him.
Who took care of him.
Times where he didn't even know how loneliness felt, for he was never alone.
She was always there.
Mireya…

That she appeared to have a daughter was still shocking, to say the least, and if Vinnie needed to be completely honest, there was a part of him that still didn't believe that it was true.
That it was some kind of mistake.
Even though it was Kiwi who told him, his beloved human girl who never lied, it was still very hard to believe.
The fact that Denver had confirmed the story after consultation with Carbine didn't help either, strangely enough.

He hadn't told Kiwi about his doubts, simply because there was nothing she could say to take them away.
No, he had to see for himself.
And so here he was.
Wandering through the living room, searching for any kind of distraction so he didn't have to listen to his thoughts, which was already failing, for that annoying little voice was just always there.
It never shut up.
Kind of like him, actually.
Makes sense.

His right index finger slid over the backrest of the couch as he made his way to the cabinet in the corner, determined to find out what was hidden in there, curious as he was.
When he was close enough, he reached out and took the doorknob of one of the cabinet doors between his furry fingers.
At first, he didn't use too much strength, but when the small door didn't budge, he pulled a bit harder.

But instead of opening, the doorknob broke off with a loud crack and Vinnie froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the object in his hand.
Oops.
But just when he wanted to put it back, which was useless of course, for the thing was obviously 'kaput', a voice behind him made him almost jump out of his fur.
"So the prodigal son has returned after all."

Vinnie whirled around as he quickly hid the hand with the doorknob behind his back before his gaze landed on an older female mouse with a blond/greyish fur, who was looking back at him with a frown on her face.
Hm.
This must be Abigail, the woman who took care of the children, or so Kiwi said.
Great.
Just… great.

"Hi", he squeaked while using his tail to open the top drawer of the cabinet and with a soft thump, the broken doorknob fell in.
He then closed it again while giving the older female one of his most charming smiles, but she hardly seemed to notice what he was doing.
She had taken off her glasses and was staring at his face with her green eyes wide open, her lips slightly parted.
Vinnie swallowed with difficulty as he pulled his bandana, feeling even more uncomfortable than he already did under her intense look.
Of course, he usually wouldn't mind a lady checking him out like that, but the fact that she was old enough to be his grandma made it complicated.

Lucky for him, she soon came back to her senses and before he knew it, she was already standing right in front of him like some goddamn ninja.
He did a step backward to create some distance between them, for she was standing way too close for his taste, but his back now touched the cold stone of the cabinet and he bit his lower lip in unease.
There was such a thing as personal space, but she either didn't know or didn't care.
But things got even more awkward when she suddenly grabbed his chin in a surprisingly strong grip and turned his head into different directions while her green eyes took in every detail from every angle.
"Remarkable…", she mumbled, obviously impressed by whatever it was that she saw.

Vinnie just stood there, balancing on his toes to make sure he wouldn't fall on top of the older woman, which would make things even beyond awkward, although it hardly seemed possible at this point.
"I know. Good looks run in the family", he managed to bring out, for talking was kind of a challenge with someone holding your chin in an iron grip.
"They most certainly do…", Abigail mumbled absent-mindedly and after what felt like a lifetime, she finally let him go.
Rubbing his sore chin, Vinnie quickly slipped past her, determined to get out of her reach before she could grab ahold of him again.
Holy shit, this was one scary woman alright.

But then her words dawned upon him and he gave her a questionable look, his fingers still massaging the almost bruised skin on his chin.
"What do you mean, they certainly do? Did you know my parents? Or my sister?"
There was a certain eagerness he couldn't define, but it was there.
A sudden need to be close to someone who knew his family.
To talk about them.
To ask what they said about him.
To ask if they were good people for he hardly could remember them, his memories clouded by trauma.

But the blondish-furred mouse shook her head with eyes glistening with sadness.
"Only Zevvi. In person, that is. I found a picture of your sister in Zevvi's file."
A shock went through Vinnie's body when he heard her say these words, words that transformed this burning eagerness from a small wave into a gigantic tsunami.
"You have a picture of her? Can I see it?", he asked as he eagerly did a few steps into her direction, his plan to keep some distance already forgotten.
In fact, everything was forgotten for now.
All that mattered was the picture.

Abigail gave him a small smile before she turned around to the cabinet.
If he wasn't so preoccupied with this flood that was about to wash him away, he would've stopped her to make sure she wouldn't find the broken doorknob, but unfortunately, he was.
Preoccupied.
Therefore, he was too late to stop her from opening the top drawer.
When she did, Abigail froze for a split second and Vinnie braced himself, but all she did was putting the doorknob in the pocket of her spotless apron, head shaking.
"Kids", she shrugged as her fingers already slid through the pile of files.

"Yeah, kids…", Vinnie chuckled as he scratched the back of his head, making it sound as if he knew what she was talking about.
As if he had lots and lots of experience with children.
Which he hadn't.
Obviously.
He did have a lot of experience with making excuses, though.
The fact that this one was practically dropped in his lap was an opportunity he simply couldn't ignore.
After all, even though he and Abigail just met, he already knew that this wasn't a mouse one wanted to piss off.
And so he didn't.
Why tempting fate, huh?
Right.
Nothing wrong with a little bit of self-preservation.
From time to time, that is.

After a brief search through the paperwork, Abigail made an approving sound and Vinnie's heart skipped a few beats as he fought the sudden urge to just snatch the file out of her slightly trembling hands, for that would be beyond rude.
But she seemed to feel his restlessness because she just handed over the entire file instead of taking out the photo, as he had expected her to do.
"She was a prisoner in one of the many Plutarkian work camps. They kept a surprisingly accurate register. Even took photos of the prisoners when they came in. This is hers", Abigail clarified friendly and he gave her a quick nod to confirm that he heard her, not able to use his voice.
His breathing accelerated when his fingers made contact with the paper cover and after giving himself a mental shake, he opened the file with, also, trembling hands.
And there she was.
His sister.
Jesus.

The photo must have been taken shortly after she disappeared, for he recognized her clothes like the ones she wore the day she simply vanished into thin air.
He had no idea how he still remembered that day like it was yesterday, or maybe even better said — how he remembered seemingly meaningless details like clothes.
After all, he couldn't even remember what he had eaten in the previous hour, much less the outfits of the people around him.
The brain was such a strange thing, picking up details unconsciously, to keep it safely hidden until the information was needed again.
Or maybe it was because he was always hungry.
On the other hand, how could he not forget that day?
It was a game changer, that day.
A horrible game changer.

'Seems like it was yesterday when I saw your face…
If only I knew what I know today…'

Carefully, he took the picture between thumb and forefinger as his ruby-red eyes eagerly took in every detail.
Her dusty clothes.
Her snow-white fur, now stained with dust as well.
Her tail, how she carried it with pride, despite her plight.
Her with piercing decorated ears, the right one missing a small piece as a result of one of the many stupid stunts they pulled when they were younger.
Her cuffed hands, as a token of her lost freedom.
Her face, that was an open book, as customary.
Anger, arrogance, fear, it was all there, but most of all — rebellion.
As customary.

Somewhat amused by this finding, the left corner of his mouth twitched as his eyes darted to her hair.
Her beautiful yet strange hair, black and white, with braids and beats to make it even more… her.
It had been her trademark.
The badass girl with the peculiar hair.
She had boys standing in line for her, as befits a Van Wham.
Because badass she was.
Even in this picture, which must have been taken shortly after the Plutarkians caught her just like Abigail told him, she stood upright, her shoulders straight and eyes provocative.
He almost heard her say the words in his head.
'Bring it on.'

This time, despite the deep pain eating his heart, a real smile curled his lips.
A smile of pride.
That was his sister, alright.
It wasn't that she wasn't scared, for she was, he could see it in her eyes.
He knew her, after all.
Like no other did.
She was his other half.
And her eyes never lied.
But she would never cave in.
She would never bend the knee.
And so she didn't.
It had brought her nothing but misery and perhaps it was this particular character trait that eventually led to her death, but this was who she was and he had never felt this proud of her.

Not just proud, though.
There was a tornado of emotions whirling inside of him right now, but in the end, it was relief that prevailed.
Relief that he finally had something to distort his latest memory of her, one that reminded him of how she was when she was still full of life instead of her broken and mutilated body, lying in the sand at the feet of the building that became her death sentence and executioner in one.

Still, knowing she had been out there all this time, needing his help like never before, while he was living his complicated life thinking she was dead…
That was a hard pill to swallow.
He could've saved her.
Just like the day he found out that she was still alive.
That Limburger had her.
Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who didn't like to be suppressed.
Who would never bend the knee.
Limburger wanted him to, in exchange for her freedom.
But he refused, a mistake she paid for with her life.
Man.
He had failed her too many times.
Like so many others...

'Some days I feel broke inside but I won't admit...
Sometimes I just wanna hide because it's you I miss…'

"Oh, Mireya…", he whispered as he still studied the picture as if it was the first picture he had ever seen.
In a way, it was, actually,
He had lost about everything because of the war, including the family picture he had taken with him the day when this crazy and never-ending journey began.
It was a miracle, to say the least, that it survived such a devastating explosion, something he couldn't say for his parents.
Unfortunately, it later turned out that the photo had only one extra life to spare and it went up into flames nevertheless in the same explosion that scarred his face.
It was somehow ironic.
Or maybe just absurd.
If only he could make it all alright.
If only he could turn back time…

'There's nothing I wouldn't do to have just one more chance…
To look into your eyes and see you looking back…'

"Zevvi has her eyes", Abigail broke him out of his thoughts before she laid a hand on his arm.
"And so are you."
Vinnie glanced at the hand on his arm before his gaze landed back on the photo in his still shaking hand.
"We were twins. Two of a kind, literally…", he told her without thinking.
But there was just something about this woman that made him feel safe.
Or at least safe enough to lower his mask a few inches.
Perhaps she reminded him of his mother.

Man, coming here truly was a trip down memory lane.
If only it were happy memories.
Well, some of them were.
But they all had this shadow over them, like a… veil.
The veil of war.
Death.
Pain.
Misery.
Darkness.
Cold and lonely darkness.
"She was my best friend. My foundation. I never really needed anything, as long as I had her around, it was all good. Life was good… But then the Plutarkians took her away from me. Like so many other things…"

'They've stolen all my dreams…'

"But not everything. There's one thing they can't steal from us, young man. One thing they will never have", Abigail said firmly as she pulled the file out of his hand.
Vinnie heaved a sigh and reached out the photo, assuming she needed it for filing or something like that, but she shook her head as she surprisingly gently pushed his hand away.
"Keep it. It has more meaning to you than to us."
After one more glance at the photo, the white-furred mouse carefully put it in his pocket as his ruby-red eyes darted back to the older mouse with gratitude written upon his face.
"Thank you."
She gave him a small nod with a somewhat stern look on her face before she turned around to put the file back where it belonged, although this time without the picture, which was now exactly where it's supposed to be.

"So tell me, boy. Are you finally ready to take your responsibility?", she asked as she closed the drawer with a soft click.
Vinnie blinked a few times, confused by this sudden change in conversation.
"My responsibility?"
Abigail turned around again and looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Yes. Your responsibility. Do you know what it means or do I need to explain it before we continue this conversation?"
"Of course I know what it means, geez", Vinnie muttered, a bit insulted by her approach, but something in her eyes stopped him from further protesting, which was quite the miracle, a fact even he was aware of.
There weren't many people out there who could make him shut up, but she was definitely on the list from now on, right next to Throttle and Modo.
Oh, and Kiwi of course.

"Well, then why don't you just answer the question, hm?", she asked straight to the point while she made her way over to the fireplace.
Vinnie followed her with his eyes, searching for the right words.
But the thing was, they weren't there.
The right words.
The truth was all he had.
"I don't know. If I'm ready, I mean…"
"And why is that?"
"It's complicated…"
"It always is."
"As in, really complicated."
"Is that worse than just complicated?"

Vinnie frowned as he folded his arms, glancing at the older female mouse who was now stirring in a pan that hung only inches above the comforting fire.
She was a real piece of work, alright.
"It's just... not simple."
Great comeback.
With a loud bang, the blondish-furred mouse placed the lid back on the pan and looked at him with fuming eyes.
Somehow, his words ticked her off, although the reason why was still unclear to Vinnie.

"Nothing in life is simple, boy. Once you're able to accept that, things will become easier", she told him as she walked back to him at a rate that every other elderly would envy.
Vinnie didn't, though.
No, perhaps she had made him feel safe only a moment ago, but she now scared the shit out of him.
Whoever said that old ladies were endearing and vulnerable really needed to get out more.
Again, he did a few steps backward, but this time it was the wall that made him stop, which was highly inconvenient.
This wasn't a mouse one would like to be cornered by, but it was already too late.

Before he could even take so much of a breath, Abigail already stood right in front of him and he lowered his gaze to look at her, feeling a bit intimidated by the energy her seemingly fragile body radiated, although he would never say that last part out loud, simply to protect his precious -but not so flawless anymore- reputation.
She looked angry, actually, but Vinnie wasn't sure if she was.
She was… devoted, to say the least.
But angry?
Maybe.
Truth be told, she was kind of hard to read, especially for a mouse who had the same capacity to empathize as a fish stick.

Unaware of his thoughts, she grabbed him by the chin again, much to Vinnie's annoyance, but she didn't give him enough time to act on it.
"Stop running. Accept your pain. Embrace it. Accept your demons as a part of you…"
The white-furred mouse bit his lower lip as he stared at her, fighting the urge to stand at attention.
Somehow, he had this nagging feeling that she sure as hell wouldn't appreciate it if he did.
It was tempting, though.
Or maybe more like a reflex.
Damn, this lady was even worse than the army and that was saying something.

But then, all of a sudden, her face softened and after letting go of his chin, she gently took his hand between her fingers.
Still a bit suspicious, the white-furred mouse looked back at her with his head resting against the wall, but she wasn't done yet.
"Accept the past as yours. Only then you're able to move on", she said softly as she placed his hand on his chest at the level of his heart.
"Your heart beats for you and for you alone. Use the time it has given you wisely."

Strangely enough, Vinnie suddenly felt the urge to cry, something that didn't happen that often.
But the sound of her voice combined with the words she spoke just made him realize how sad he actually was.
How not in control of his own life.
Of his own heart.
The demons were.
But how did one fight a demon?
How did one fight something invisible yet so strong and deathly?
What was the one thing demons can't have?

"You never told me what the Plutarkians can't steal from us", he said instead, still looking down at her to search for something that would help him understand.
Abigail smiled at him as she patted his hand almost lovingly before she turned around to get back to whatever she was cooking.
"Love, boy. Love."

…

Kiwi's fingers slid through the long black and white hair, still surprised about how soft it was.
Soft and shiny.
A lot of people on Earth would kill for hair like this, that she knew.
Maybe even on Mars.
As she replaced her fingers with the brush, she glanced at Zevvi via the mirror and a warm feeling washed over her when she saw the leisurely and content look on her young face.

During her visits, Kiwi soon learned that Zevvi had a hard time relaxing, her body on edge almost twenty-four-seven due to trauma.
It was a natural consequence after everything she had been through, but that didn't make it less sad.
If only it did.
When she asked what she could do to help her feel a bit more comfortable, Zevvi hadn't said a word but simply pushed the brush in her hands instead before taking place in front of the small mirror close to her bed.

Only seconds after the first few strokes, Kiwi had seen her body relax, telling her that this was something Mireya had done many times already to help her beloved daughter feel safe and loved in these dark times where death ruled.
Kiwi figured it was a good way to calm Zevvi's nerves a bit, to prepare her for the upcoming and for her still unexpected family reunion, hoping it would soften the blow a bit.
Because that's what meeting Vinnie was going to be.
A blow.
One with a huge impact for both parties.
Family…

A bit dreamy, Kiwi stared at the beautiful hair in her hand, for a moment captured by her thoughts.
All this reminded her of that one time when Throttle had brushed her hair, back on Earth.
It wasn't exactly a happy memory, or well, not entirely, for she also remembered how confused she had been that day and not because some badass alien soldier from outer space was brushing her hair.
Somehow, that part made perfect sense, which kind of made her question her common sense.

But there she was.
Looking at the tan-furred mouse via the mirror with her blue eyes burning with pain.
With insides crying to save her.
Broken by the loss of her parents, desperately searching for salvation.
Life had been so empty and pointless, but then the mice found her.
And there he was.
Vinnie.

A charming rebellious Martian Mouse with snow-white fur, one who was able to break down her walls in no time.
Who was able to get through to her.
Who, as far as she knew, came closest to salvation than anything or anyone else before, which made him special.
That's what made it confusing, back then.
Not the whole alien part.
No.
The fact that he could reach her did.
It also felt like a lifetime ago.
Perhaps it was.

And now here she was again.
On Mars.
Brushing the hair of a Martian child with the same snow-white fur, one who was also able to break down her walls with the speed of light.
To get through to her.
To let her see the light again.
And again, she was so just confused about everything.
Man.
Was this going to be a thing now?
A pattern in life, one that kept repeating itself?
She sure hoped not.

She did know one thing, though.
One thing she had learned from experience.
The family Van Wham definitely knew how to make life everything but boring.
But perhaps that's what she wanted right now.
What she needed so badly.
A boring life.
A normal life.
As far as that's possible while living on a planet that wasn't her own.
Or maybe it was now.
Maybe home wasn't that far away...

"Do you remember the day we met?", she asked, forcing herself to come back to the land of the living.
After blinking a few times, her vision became sharp again and she looked at Zevvi who slowly opened her eyes and met Kiwi's gaze via the mirror.
"Yes. You were crying."
Kiwi smiled as she focussed her attention back on the brush in her hand, somehow a bit amused by this answer that was the truth.
"I was. Do you still know why I was crying?"

Zevvie shifted her weight and bit her lower lip with a frown on her face as she thought back on that day.
Another one of those significant days that changed everything, as for many days before.
And as for many days to come.
Like this one, for instance.
Today would be, once again, one for the books.

Giving her the time she needed, Kiwi continued brushing the long strands of hair with butterflies tickling her stomach.
She hadn't lied to Vinnie when they stood in front of the house, holding hands as if nothing ever happened.
She was scared.
Scared for the unknown.
Scared for what was to come.
Scared to lose him again…

"You were crying because I reminded you of someone", Zevvi eventually answered the question as she looked at Kiwi again, her head slightly tilted and thereby breaking the human girl out of her thoughts.
"Someone you missed."
There was a certain expectation written upon her face, kind of like a child in school who waited till the teacher would tell that it was the right answer and Kiwi gave her another warm smile, trying to cover up the restlessness she felt.
Knowing it wasn't just her discomfort, she didn't want Zevvi to feel it.
It would only make things even more complicated.

"Very good. You have a good memory, missy", Kiwi complimented the visibly insecure Martian child, for it was the truth.
Unfortunately, in times of war, a good memory was more like a curse than a blessing, for some things were just meant to be forgotten.
Instead, they nestled in the brain to never leave again, much to Kiwi's chagrin.
But she didn't say any of that.
No, she was already trying not to burst into tears again, simply because of the shy smile Zevvi gave her.

Well, truth be told, it wasn't just the smile.
No, her ruby-red eyes were twinkling because of the compliment and she suddenly looked so… carefree.
Or maybe just free.
It wasn't the first time she suddenly got overwhelmed by sadness while being in Zevvi's company, all because of this child that was so endearing that it warmed not only her heart, but her soul as well.

But instead of giving in to this heartwarming yet unwelcome feeling, she quickly grabbed herself together, for she was here for a reason.
She always was, but now it was a different reason and it made her heart dance the tango in her chest.
For a moment, she was having an inner conflict whether to keep brushing or to turn the chair around so she could look Zevvi directly in the eye, but when she saw the still lighthearted look on the child's face, she decided to keep going.
"I need to tell you something, Zevvi. Something important."

Zevvi only looked back at her with those big and storytelling eyes of hers, but there was curiosity shimmering under the agony, a thing new to Kiwi.
And she suddenly had no idea how to continue.
Suddenly, she couldn't find the words she so desperately wanted to use to tell Zevvi she wasn't alone anymore.
To tell her that there was someone out there that was her family, someone who was waiting downstairs to meet her.
Someone who was also family to her, despite everything he had done to her, which made the circle complete.
Her soulmate, who had broken her heart not just one time, but multiple times.
Someone special.
Family…

"What made you change your mind? To come back?"
"Denver did. He made me realize what's important."
"And what is it that is so important according to him?"
"Love."

Love.
Love was the key.
Not words.
Just love.
With Vinnie's voice still echoing through her head, Kiwi put down the brush with renewed strength and a certain determination.
Love.
Plain and simple.
After turning the chair around, she gave Zevvi a reassuring smile while reaching out her hand.
"Come on. There's someone downstairs who I'd like you to meet."

…

Love.
Why kept everyone telling him that love was the key?
That love was able to solve everything?
If it was, then why was everything so fucked up?
He had love in his life.
He even came back for it, for fuck sake.
Kiwi.
She was his everything.
But not even she was able to cure his sick and disturbed mind.
Nothing was.
Right?

As Vinnie was caught up in his thoughts, which were nothing but depressing, by the way, his inner restlessness suddenly increased, as far as that goes.
At first, he hardly noticed but it soon even overruled that stupid voice in his head and he blinked a few times before he looked down at his hands.
His shaking hands.
Perhaps nervous was an understatement.
Fear came closer.
Pure and degrading fear.
But he knew it wasn't his.
Or well, not entirely.

The connection he shared with Kiwi wasn't just extraordinary, it kind of worked like a radio as well.
So, simply put, the closer they were near each other, the less static and thus the better the reception.
With this knowledge, he knew that this changing feeling only meant one thing — Kiwi was getting closer to him and holy shit, she was nervous.
He could almost smell it coming out of her pores.
In a manner of speaking, of course.

He did smell something else, though.
Not merely in a manner of speaking, but really.
Kiwi's almost mesmeric scent, a scent he would kill for, getting stronger with every heartbeat.
And so was another scent.
One he didn't know, but it somehow smelled familiar, which was strange, to say the least.

A soft sound behind him made his right ear turn in the direction that it came from and suddenly, completely out of nowhere, time stopped ticking.
As if the world around him was frozen except for him, giving him time to prepare himself.
Listening to his own breathing, the scent became stronger and stronger and he knew, he just knew… this was it.
This was the moment.
The moment of truth.
His entire life depended on this moment.
A simple case of 'make or break'.
Except it was everything but simple.
Nothing was ever simple.
Not even love.
Surely not even love.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath through the nose while he clenched his hands into fists, a feeble attempt to combat this almost paralyzing fear, fear that made not only his hands but his entire body tremble like never before.
Kiwi's scent mixed with the other one was almost magical, soothing, even.
It was kind of hard to describe, other than that it just felt… right.
As if it was the perfect combination.
Maybe it was.

As the air left his mouth, he slowly opened his eyes again, though he was still blind to his surroundings.
He didn't see Abigail standing close to him, looking at something -or someone- behind him with a soothing and reassuring smile on her face.
He didn't hear little footsteps coming down the stairs, insecure and cautious.
He didn't notice his heartbeat increasing with every step Kiwi took closer to him, driven by her fear and nervosity.
He didn't even feel the same fear he was fighting only seconds ago.

No, for a moment there was total peace.
And the scent.
Peace and the scent.
Abigail was right.
He needed to stop fighting.
To stop running.
Acceptance…

"Your heart beats for you and you alone.
Use the time it has given you wisely."

It was time to step out of the darkness, straight into the light.
It would hurt, at first.
It always did.
Like eyes that needed some time to get used to the light, after seeing only darkness for so long already.
But eventually, they would stop burning.
They would stop blinking.
They would stop tearing.

Eventually, they would look into the light, confident and clear.
Knowing that without darkness, there was no light either.
And with that in the back of his mind, Vinnie took one last deep breath and turned around.
It was time to meet his niece.

'All I wanna do is trade this life for something new, holding on to what I haven't got…'

Oops.
Cliffhanger.
One that wasn't planned, to be honest.
I was planning to write about the long-overdue meeting.

But my brain took me on a side road and this is the result, one I think is a fine addition to the story, but it forced me to cut the chapter in half.
Not just that, I suddenly had such an -in my opinion- awesome idea for the rest of the story.
One that suddenly made all the pieces of the puzzle falling together nicely.
I just love it when that happens.
That all the details I came up with without any reason suddenly make sense, or something like that.
The downside is that it needs a bit more of my love, time and attention to write it all down in the way it's pictured in my head.

But, not to worry.
I already wrote a big part of the next chapter, so I don't think the next update will take as long as this one, but hey, who knows what happens in between?
As long as you know that I won't leave you guys hanging or leave my stories unfinished.
Eventually, there will always be an update, no exception.
I can only hope that you guys have the patience to stay with me. :)

Either way, thanks for reading my story.
Feel free to leave a review, it always makes my day.
Stay safe out there, my dear readers.
It's a mad world.
And always remember...
Ride free, citizen! :D

PS: Right. Disclaimers.
I used some of the lyrics of 'Hurt' by Christina Aguilera and 'Valley of the Queens' by Ayreon.
Oh, and of 'Waiting for the End' by Linkin Park.
They own these beautiful words, not me.