***Spoilers: Love among the Ruins***
"The heart has its reason which reason does not know."- Pascal Peosees
Chapter 7
How did her life turn into this? The answer… the day Simon Lehane came into her life. Rachel sighed as she walked across the street crutches in hand. She had made great progress with her physical therapy, and was now able to walk with crutches; she still had to build up her leg muscles. But she was making great strides to getting her life back. Her father had hired a private tutor in order to catch her up with the rest of her age group. She still wanted to go to college; it was part of her dream. Still, her career was undecided all she knew was she wanted to make a difference with her renewed life.
The incident with Alec only made her question, all the more determined to find out the real truth. She had kept away from him like he asked her to, but the words kept echoing in her mind. "…It would destroy you." What did he mean by that? It frustrated her, there was so much she had to know, so much she still needed to tell Alec. But he had made it clear he didn't want near her.
"One of those trannie freaks could be dating your daughter! Your donation will help keep this neighborhood clean!" Rachel look to the other side of the street, she saw a man holding a plastic cup trying to convince people to donate money to a cause still unknown to her. She looked at him curiously and walked slowly towards him. What were these 'trannie freaks?' "Excuse me, who are these 'trannie freaks' you seem to despise so much?" The man looked down at her "Haven't you been watching the news? These freaks shouldn't be here, they should go back to where they came from." Rachel looked back at the man quizzically "Isn't that like discrimination? Isn't that racism? You're a black man, wouldn't you understand more than anything?" "Oh so it's like that now? You're a transgenic lover too huh? Well you'd better get out of here young lady before one of us come after you." Rachel forced a smile "fine, I'll be going now."
She turned to walk away, and was about five feet from the donation man, when she heard the man again. "Hey! He's one of 'em!" Rachel turned back to see that a few other men had attacked a man suspected to be a transgenic. She could hear the muffled cries of pain he emitted from the cruel beatings. "Stop! You're hurting him!" She screamed in attempt to stop the beating. Just as soon as the words left her lips, one of the men who was beating the transgenic lunged towards her. Then all she could see was black.
***
When she had finally awakened she was lying in the Harbor Lights hospital. Rachel was told that she was knocked out, and that she was free to go when she was able to. Rachel smiled in thanks; at least she wasn't dead like the man she tried to save only hours ago. She slowly sat up and grabbed her crutches from her bedside and bid her farewell.
Again she was walking among the broken streets of Seattle. When she saw a crowd of people, curious she walked towards them and stood among them. Nearby she heard someone ask what was going on. The reply was that a bunch of neighborhood guys got a hold of a mutant that was on the news. "What do you mean got 'a hold of'?" A girl with long brown hair asked. Rachel eyes widened with recognition, it was the girl that had helped Alec with those men and sure enough, Alec was right beside her. The same man who had answered the question before pointed at the corps now hanging upside down behind the flaming cross. "Gave 'em hell. What do you think? That ought to teach them freaks a lesson, huh?" Rachel look to the corps, she felt a hit of nausea. She wanted to hurl, as she looked at the man whom she saw just ours ago struggling for his life.
As Alec turned to leave with Max, he spotted Rachel out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't deny the pain he felt in his heart, but if you love someone enough you have to let them go. He had let her go for if he hadn't, her life would be at stake.
A/N: Everyone who answered my question from the last chapter wanted me to continue, so I have. This chapter's a little longer and I hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review I'd like some feedback. Also, I am sorry in advanced if the next chapter takes a long time to come out.
