Chapter 8
"Where have you been?" Liz asked finally, dislodging herself from her siblings.
Shysie didn't answer, just pulled out of the embrace Michael had her in. Walking slowly around Michael and Liz she made a quick survey of the room before turning back to face her brother and sister. She just stared at them, Michael wasn't sure but it looked to him like she was assessing the situation.
'She's stopped talking again.' Michael thought sadly, but was quickly proven wrong.
"Mesa. Globe. Flagstaff. Glendale. Apache Junction." Shysie listed off, looking to the floor.
"Oh…." was Liz's only response. Slowly Liz walked to her bed and took a seat grabbing Shy's hand and pulling her down next to her. Michael followed, sitting on the other side of his newly found sister.
"Ho-how did you find us?" Michael questioned his voice ragged with emotion. He began blinking furiously, fighting back the tears of relief that threatened to spill over.
"Liz called me." She answered simply as though that answer would be explanation enough. Michael looked questioningly at Liz, but he new immediately that she didn't have a clue as to what was going on either.
"I guess she didn't mean to, I thought maybe she had accepted it by now." Shy muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Looking up she added, "I got this feeling today. I KNOW it was from Liz. I had to be here, and it HAD to be tonight."
"Why tonight?" Michael asked softly.
"Accepted what?" Liz asked.
"Why tonight? I am not exactly sure, but there is something important about tonight." She told Michael, then turning to Liz she added, "Figured out part of your power. The gift that you are more skilled at than the rest of us at."
"So wait, Liz's gift is she calls people? Wouldn't the phone work as well?" Michael asked confused.
"No," Shysie answered laughing, "her power is something else all together, but it all ties in together. Her calling me, is something I think we all can do. I have been able to feel you two since we were split up, she was just able to strengthen it somehow."
"So you've known where we've been all this time?" Liz asked sounding hurt that she had never contacted them before.
"No, I knew that you were together and that you were ok, but I was never able to figure out where you were. Just a strong feeling that you were still in Arizona. Trust me, I looked for the two of you." Shysie reassured Liz. Michael and Liz nodded in understanding, they both had had the same feeling about Shy.
"Ok, so then what is her power?" Michael asked.
"I think she knows as well as I do what it is, she's afraid of it." Shy said looking directly at Liz.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Liz rushed out. Michael was completely at a loss, had Liz found her gift and then kept it secret? From him of all people?
Shysie sighed loudly, "Two weeks before Hank was arrested, before Cherokee…… Cherokee died, you had a dream. No, it was more like a nightmare."
"I had a lot of nightmares back then." Liz retorted, jumping to her feet and beginning to pace the small room.
"There was something different about this one." Shy shot back, "You know what I am talking about Elizabeth, you have had similar dreams since! I can feel it." Michael was completely bewildered at this point. Dreams? Feelings?
"It didn't happen though!" Liz yelled, "The other things did, the other dreams, but they were insignificant a coincidence really. THAT one never came true, Hank went to jail and Cherokee ended up dead!" Liz fell back onto the bed sobbing, Michael rubbed her back trying to comfort her, he still didn't understand a thing they were talking about.
"How….how do you know?" Liz whispered through sobs. Shy grabbed Liz's hand.
"The two you have always been the only ones I could completely block. Occasionally I would still listen, but usually I didn't want to invade your privacy." Shysie began, looking off into space, "That night though I couldn't block you Liz. Hell, I couldn't feel or hear anyone, but you. I thought I suffocating at first, though I was dying. Then I realized it wasn't me at all." Shy paused a moment, "I felt your soul break and you wanted to die. In that moment, I thought I would die."
"I went to your bed, I had to see what was wrong. When I touched you I was pulled into the nightmare. I saw and felt it all. I just wanted you to calm down to be alright, it took all the power I had at that moment to just kick you into normal sleep. When I did it though, I knew that it hadn't just been a nightmare. It was future, unless I changed it."
"You changed it?" Liz asked incredulously.
"Wait, wait!" Michael said from where he still sat confused on the bed. "Would someone like to tell me what the HELL we are talking about? What did you change?"
"Hank was a bad man, Michael." Liz told him sounding like a small child, rather than the young adult she was. Michael shot her his best "DUH!" look, but she wasn't looking at him. Apparently the carpet had become extremely interesting. Michael turned to Shy for answers.
"You didn't think we noticed the way Hank would look at us, but we did. You were trying everything in your power to keep us away from him and for that I am truly thankful, but Hank was on to you. He had plans of his own, and no amount of extracurricular activities would keep him away for too long." Shy told him. Michael was dumbfounded how did she know about his plans? How did she know what Hank had been planning,?
"My power is empathic. That is the best explanation I can come up with. I can also control some people's thoughts." Shy stated sadly, both Michael and Liz gasped. "I am not particularly fond of the power, it's hard 'feeling' and 'hearing' what people are thinking or feeling at the time. Sometimes, I think I might lose my mind. People say so many things, but rarely what they really feel or mean."
"Anyways, when I saw Liz's vision, I kept trying to turn Hank away. I wanted him to leave, but he was too set in what he planned on doing. Maybe it was because I was afraid of him or what he planned on doing and it hindered my control. His mind wasn't particularly more advanced then some people I have been able to 'suggest' things too before. Only the fear element seems different. That's beside the point though, the point being, I just couldn't do it."
Michael sat down again, his mind reeling. "On the last day, I had an idea. It came to me when they started fighting, when Cherokee had sent us to our room. She was afraid for us, I felt it. I sat on my bed sending her soothing thoughts about being away from Hank. About what kind of family we could be with out him, but she too I couldn't control. Her mind was different though, it was like there just wasn't any room in there for me. Not with the control Hank already had over her." Shy grabbed Liz's hand for support.
"I went to the living room. I had every intention of using a power blast on Hank." Shy told them, "Mine weren't as strong as Michael's, but I was convinced I could at the very least knock him unconscious. When I got there though, Cherokee was alone. She sat in the corner of the room cradling her broken arm, muttering to herself. I went to her, I wanted to fix it, to fix her, but I knew I couldn't. So I just went to comfort her, but something happened when I touched her…"
"What?" Liz and Michael whispered simultaneously.
"We connected." Shy said looking into their eyes, " I swear I didn't start it, and I know she didn't either. I guess it was the emotional states we both were in that triggered it. Suddenly I was flooded with all these images from her past, and apparently she saw into me as well. When it ended all I could feel coming off of Cherokee was primal rage mixed with determination. Hank walked back into the room."
"Cherokee jumped up screaming and running at him. She barely had enough time to jump on his back before he threw her off, and she fell onto the table." Shysie whispered the last part, "She was gone immediately, I felt her soul go."
"She saw it." Liz whispered hoarsely, "She saw what he was going to do." Shy nodded sadly.
"I loved her, and I killed her. I am so sorry." Shy finished.
"You did NOT kill her!" Michael yelled, suddenly softening, "None of us did. We were only kids for God's sake, we never asked for any of this." He assured his sister's pulling them into a protective hug.
"Was Cherokee an alien?" Michael asked awhile later.
"No." was all Shy said.
"Then how did she know? How did she know where to find us and that we are family?" Michael questioned.
"She had visions. Like Liz does, but she wasn't alien, just special. When I saw in her mind, I knew. She had been looking for us before we even hatched. She was born at Maryvale Hospital and given up for adoption there. She would dream about us at night and she new she had to bring us together, but she didn't listen to everything the dreams told her. I am not sure exactly WHAT they told her, but I had a strong feeling that she wasn't following the 'plan' exactly."
Michael had a million other questions, but he knew he wouldn't get any more answers tonight. Liz and Shy looked like they had been through the emotional ringer of a lifetime and he doubted he looked much better. They all needed some sleep. No, his questions could wait, for now.
The three quickly rounded up some bedding and made a pallet on the floor. None of them wanted to be separated tonight. Michael, Shysie and Liz lay side by side on the floor, each hold one another's hand. Michael waited until he was sure that both his sister's had drifted off, before he let sleep claim him.
Not to long after the threesome fell asleep, Michael found himself standing on a cliff overlooking the vast desert. His two sisters still held tightly to his hand. "Where are we?" Liz whispered to his left.
"Roswell." Michael whispered back breathlessly. Suddenly Shy let go of his hand and slowly began guiding him to turn around.
So quietly he could barely hear her, Shy said, "Happy Birthday, Big Brother." And it was, before him stood seven teenagers. Two of the seven were Isabelle and Max.
"Where have you been?" Liz asked finally, dislodging herself from her siblings.
Shysie didn't answer, just pulled out of the embrace Michael had her in. Walking slowly around Michael and Liz she made a quick survey of the room before turning back to face her brother and sister. She just stared at them, Michael wasn't sure but it looked to him like she was assessing the situation.
'She's stopped talking again.' Michael thought sadly, but was quickly proven wrong.
"Mesa. Globe. Flagstaff. Glendale. Apache Junction." Shysie listed off, looking to the floor.
"Oh…." was Liz's only response. Slowly Liz walked to her bed and took a seat grabbing Shy's hand and pulling her down next to her. Michael followed, sitting on the other side of his newly found sister.
"Ho-how did you find us?" Michael questioned his voice ragged with emotion. He began blinking furiously, fighting back the tears of relief that threatened to spill over.
"Liz called me." She answered simply as though that answer would be explanation enough. Michael looked questioningly at Liz, but he new immediately that she didn't have a clue as to what was going on either.
"I guess she didn't mean to, I thought maybe she had accepted it by now." Shy muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Looking up she added, "I got this feeling today. I KNOW it was from Liz. I had to be here, and it HAD to be tonight."
"Why tonight?" Michael asked softly.
"Accepted what?" Liz asked.
"Why tonight? I am not exactly sure, but there is something important about tonight." She told Michael, then turning to Liz she added, "Figured out part of your power. The gift that you are more skilled at than the rest of us at."
"So wait, Liz's gift is she calls people? Wouldn't the phone work as well?" Michael asked confused.
"No," Shysie answered laughing, "her power is something else all together, but it all ties in together. Her calling me, is something I think we all can do. I have been able to feel you two since we were split up, she was just able to strengthen it somehow."
"So you've known where we've been all this time?" Liz asked sounding hurt that she had never contacted them before.
"No, I knew that you were together and that you were ok, but I was never able to figure out where you were. Just a strong feeling that you were still in Arizona. Trust me, I looked for the two of you." Shysie reassured Liz. Michael and Liz nodded in understanding, they both had had the same feeling about Shy.
"Ok, so then what is her power?" Michael asked.
"I think she knows as well as I do what it is, she's afraid of it." Shy said looking directly at Liz.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Liz rushed out. Michael was completely at a loss, had Liz found her gift and then kept it secret? From him of all people?
Shysie sighed loudly, "Two weeks before Hank was arrested, before Cherokee…… Cherokee died, you had a dream. No, it was more like a nightmare."
"I had a lot of nightmares back then." Liz retorted, jumping to her feet and beginning to pace the small room.
"There was something different about this one." Shy shot back, "You know what I am talking about Elizabeth, you have had similar dreams since! I can feel it." Michael was completely bewildered at this point. Dreams? Feelings?
"It didn't happen though!" Liz yelled, "The other things did, the other dreams, but they were insignificant a coincidence really. THAT one never came true, Hank went to jail and Cherokee ended up dead!" Liz fell back onto the bed sobbing, Michael rubbed her back trying to comfort her, he still didn't understand a thing they were talking about.
"How….how do you know?" Liz whispered through sobs. Shy grabbed Liz's hand.
"The two you have always been the only ones I could completely block. Occasionally I would still listen, but usually I didn't want to invade your privacy." Shysie began, looking off into space, "That night though I couldn't block you Liz. Hell, I couldn't feel or hear anyone, but you. I thought I suffocating at first, though I was dying. Then I realized it wasn't me at all." Shy paused a moment, "I felt your soul break and you wanted to die. In that moment, I thought I would die."
"I went to your bed, I had to see what was wrong. When I touched you I was pulled into the nightmare. I saw and felt it all. I just wanted you to calm down to be alright, it took all the power I had at that moment to just kick you into normal sleep. When I did it though, I knew that it hadn't just been a nightmare. It was future, unless I changed it."
"You changed it?" Liz asked incredulously.
"Wait, wait!" Michael said from where he still sat confused on the bed. "Would someone like to tell me what the HELL we are talking about? What did you change?"
"Hank was a bad man, Michael." Liz told him sounding like a small child, rather than the young adult she was. Michael shot her his best "DUH!" look, but she wasn't looking at him. Apparently the carpet had become extremely interesting. Michael turned to Shy for answers.
"You didn't think we noticed the way Hank would look at us, but we did. You were trying everything in your power to keep us away from him and for that I am truly thankful, but Hank was on to you. He had plans of his own, and no amount of extracurricular activities would keep him away for too long." Shy told him. Michael was dumbfounded how did she know about his plans? How did she know what Hank had been planning,?
"My power is empathic. That is the best explanation I can come up with. I can also control some people's thoughts." Shy stated sadly, both Michael and Liz gasped. "I am not particularly fond of the power, it's hard 'feeling' and 'hearing' what people are thinking or feeling at the time. Sometimes, I think I might lose my mind. People say so many things, but rarely what they really feel or mean."
"Anyways, when I saw Liz's vision, I kept trying to turn Hank away. I wanted him to leave, but he was too set in what he planned on doing. Maybe it was because I was afraid of him or what he planned on doing and it hindered my control. His mind wasn't particularly more advanced then some people I have been able to 'suggest' things too before. Only the fear element seems different. That's beside the point though, the point being, I just couldn't do it."
Michael sat down again, his mind reeling. "On the last day, I had an idea. It came to me when they started fighting, when Cherokee had sent us to our room. She was afraid for us, I felt it. I sat on my bed sending her soothing thoughts about being away from Hank. About what kind of family we could be with out him, but she too I couldn't control. Her mind was different though, it was like there just wasn't any room in there for me. Not with the control Hank already had over her." Shy grabbed Liz's hand for support.
"I went to the living room. I had every intention of using a power blast on Hank." Shy told them, "Mine weren't as strong as Michael's, but I was convinced I could at the very least knock him unconscious. When I got there though, Cherokee was alone. She sat in the corner of the room cradling her broken arm, muttering to herself. I went to her, I wanted to fix it, to fix her, but I knew I couldn't. So I just went to comfort her, but something happened when I touched her…"
"What?" Liz and Michael whispered simultaneously.
"We connected." Shy said looking into their eyes, " I swear I didn't start it, and I know she didn't either. I guess it was the emotional states we both were in that triggered it. Suddenly I was flooded with all these images from her past, and apparently she saw into me as well. When it ended all I could feel coming off of Cherokee was primal rage mixed with determination. Hank walked back into the room."
"Cherokee jumped up screaming and running at him. She barely had enough time to jump on his back before he threw her off, and she fell onto the table." Shysie whispered the last part, "She was gone immediately, I felt her soul go."
"She saw it." Liz whispered hoarsely, "She saw what he was going to do." Shy nodded sadly.
"I loved her, and I killed her. I am so sorry." Shy finished.
"You did NOT kill her!" Michael yelled, suddenly softening, "None of us did. We were only kids for God's sake, we never asked for any of this." He assured his sister's pulling them into a protective hug.
"Was Cherokee an alien?" Michael asked awhile later.
"No." was all Shy said.
"Then how did she know? How did she know where to find us and that we are family?" Michael questioned.
"She had visions. Like Liz does, but she wasn't alien, just special. When I saw in her mind, I knew. She had been looking for us before we even hatched. She was born at Maryvale Hospital and given up for adoption there. She would dream about us at night and she new she had to bring us together, but she didn't listen to everything the dreams told her. I am not sure exactly WHAT they told her, but I had a strong feeling that she wasn't following the 'plan' exactly."
Michael had a million other questions, but he knew he wouldn't get any more answers tonight. Liz and Shy looked like they had been through the emotional ringer of a lifetime and he doubted he looked much better. They all needed some sleep. No, his questions could wait, for now.
The three quickly rounded up some bedding and made a pallet on the floor. None of them wanted to be separated tonight. Michael, Shysie and Liz lay side by side on the floor, each hold one another's hand. Michael waited until he was sure that both his sister's had drifted off, before he let sleep claim him.
Not to long after the threesome fell asleep, Michael found himself standing on a cliff overlooking the vast desert. His two sisters still held tightly to his hand. "Where are we?" Liz whispered to his left.
"Roswell." Michael whispered back breathlessly. Suddenly Shy let go of his hand and slowly began guiding him to turn around.
So quietly he could barely hear her, Shy said, "Happy Birthday, Big Brother." And it was, before him stood seven teenagers. Two of the seven were Isabelle and Max.