As they ate, several new people came in and Mary introduced them all. Every one of the tunnel dwellers smirked at the yawning teens, remembering a time when they, too, were allowed the luxury of sleeping.
The dining room had begun to fill nicely when a tall red headed girl entered the room. Her presence caused a murmur to elevated in the crowd. They had all heard of the visitors seeking her. The girl scanned the room, taking in all her surroundings. Her witch green eyes caught sight of the newcomers, causing a small frown to appear on her face. She noticed the whispered commentaries regarding her and raised her chin high, exhaling her generous height as she claimed her food.
*****
Michael's eyes were glued to his sister's form. He had been eating with Maria, picking out important bits and pieces of her ramblings when he felt another presence, an alien presence, one he had only felt with Max and Isabel.
Glancing around, his eyes fixated on the girl in the doorway and knew. He had finally found her. He looked stricken. How could he convince her, how could she ever understand? People didn't just take someone's word when they are told they are aliens.
Suddenly she turned her head until their gazes clashed frozen in recognition. Darting around, she fled the room.
*****
"Did you see her, Maria? It was her, I could feel it! Oh God, I think she thinks I'm an enemy! She just ran out of here! What should I do?"
"Michael, calm down! I'll be okay. We can just go talk to Vincent and Catherine. They'll talk to Taja, keep her from running off, which she's probably about to do if she is anything like the rest of you guys, and have a chance to talk to her. She probably already knows there's something different about her. Now she'll have answers."
"But what if she doesn't want to know? Look at this place! Life is already hard enough for her! Does she really need the added problems of the Skins, all that 'Destiny' bullshit, and Nasedo. It's so complicated, I wouldn't be attracted to it if I wasn't involved in it."
"Do you remember that day back in sophomore year when we had to do those 'get-to-know-your-peer-assignment? You told me the only reason you kept searching was because there had to be something better out there than Roswell, New Mexico. You need an out. Maybe Taja does, too. It's not fair to her to keep the choice from herself, she's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle it."
"Damn it, I hate it when you're logical. It makes it so hard to keep up. All right. Let's get Vincent to talk to her. Everyone seems to like him. Maybe she'll listen to him."
"I hope so." Maria's voice rang out.
Several people glanced in her direction at the sudden outburst. They had been communicating with their souls and hadn't really thought about the other people. Frowning in their direction, Michael stood with Maria and walked over to Vincent.
Vincent and Catherine were seated at a larger medieval style bench table clearly reserved for people of importance among the community. Vincent had been watching his two guests from the moment Taja had entered the room and sensed their inner turmoil. Before they had even reached him, he was up and striding quickly after the lost girl.
Michael came to a standstill. "Where's he going? We need him help!"
"He knows. He's already going after her." Catherine spoke up.
"How did you…"
Catherine sent him a sideways glance that silenced him immediately.
*****
Every instinct in her body was screaming at her to leave. She knew what he was for he was like her. That also meant he was following her, just as the others like her had been searching for her all her life. They were bad, the things like her. She had lived a fairly normal for the first half of her childhood. Then the difference in her had become too evident to the people around her and the problems started. Strange men would show up at her school, claiming to be long lost uncles, saying they were from the first family she had never really wondered about until then.
She had begun to explore her abilities and make up great fantasies about having a special destiny to go along with her powers. After all, isn't the magickal ones always save the day? Then one day they took her family.
One day she had come home from a friend's house in ashes and the strange uncles waiting to take her away. So she ran. Taking only the clothes on her back and the money in her pocket, she ran as far and as quickly away as possible.
Traveling across the country was not easy for a twelve-year-old and she found she needed to use her powers to protect her from the drifting fingers and sly glances of the people giving her rides.
Eventually she made it to New York, as she had hoped to loose herself in the sea of thousands. On her fourteenth birthday, after waking up from a night in a near by library, she witnessed a murder.
She had been drawn to those people because of their auras, which were the same as her own, making them like her. Watching them from a distance, she saw the tall girl and boy push their male companion in front of a bus, as a short, purple haired girl watched in horror.
The people like her couldn't possibly be good so she ran again, running because her life depended on it. She hadn't even noticed when she entered the park. It had rained the night before and she slipped on some mud and fell into a storm drain.
She had woken up Below, sick with pneumonia and in the care of an elderly gentleman with kind eyes. Later she had met Vincent, who had brought her in, and she had been living there ever since.
Now her life was in danger again. They had found her and in some way had gained the trust of Father and Vincent. Knowing her two protectors had aided an enemy, she knew there was no chance of them believing her. She had to leave now.
Darting to her chamber, she threw what little clothes she had begun to acquire into a sack she always kept for emergencies. Trying to prepare herself for the journey ahead she took candles, matches, and bathing supplies, too.
When the hand reached up and touched her shoulder, she whirled around and raised her hands to send off electricity in defense. She saw Vincent there and immediately froze.
"What are you doing here?" she started.
"You left in such a hurry that I thought something was wrong. Is there anything I may help you with, Taja?" He brought a hand up to rest on her shoulder.
She shook her head violently in denial. "No, no there's nothing! I just need to be alone for a minute. You can go back to the dining room now. I'm sorry I took you away from your breakfast."
He cocked his head to the side. "I noticed you saw Michael and Maria. They came in last night. They were looking for you." Vincent watched carefully for her reaction.
"I have to leave. They're bad people. Why did you let them down here, Vincent? You said you would help me and you let them to me! Now I have to leave this place and I have no where to go!"
"Taja, they came to Catherine's apartment last night looking for you. Catherine said she didn't know anything so they asked for me by name. They knew about me and they knew I was helping you. Michael says he's your brother, your twin, and he's been searching for you a long time Maria, the girl, is his girlfriend and more of their friends are coming to talk with you later in the week."
"Dammit! How could you! People are looking for me! They've claimed to be useless, brothers, cousins, everything! I thought maybe you would know the difference!"
"Do you remember when you first came here? You were sick as death and weren't quite conscious. You touched me one time, on my temple, and I received some of your memories. You transmitted them to me through our minds. That is a very rare gift, Taja. Catherine and I share such a Bond. Michael possesses such a power. Do not let your fear of yourself keep you from seeking the truth. Michael is very close to you, I suspect. He also wants to help you. You don't see that often." He cocked his head to view her eyes.
"He's shown you what he can do? What did he say he was? You must tell me! Is there some sort of explanation?" She was desperate for knowledge.
"It's not my place to tell, child. If you'd prefer, I will escort you to a meeting point."
"Will you stay the whole time? Please! I would feel like, a lot safer if you'd have my back in danger."
"Of course, milady. You shall soon know of many answers to your numerous questions. There are also siblings involved. Families need to be a part of your life. Don't pass up this opportunity."
They traveled back down empty passageways until they reached Vincent and Catherine's chamber. Vincent had sent a thought to Catherine, informing her of the new events and requested that she brought Michael and Maria to their chamber.