* * *
Chapter 2
* * *
Topaz stood in the airport clutching her carry-on bag. It had been two years; two long and horrible years since she had left Bloomington and moved to San Francisco. She had lived with Molly for a time, then enrolled in a high school and gotten a job. To her parents she had explained that she couldn't stay in Bloomington, blaming her unease on Zak's death and the deaths of her friend's siblings.
Her friends. Though she had made new ones, she couldn't forget her old group. She carried their pictures with her constantly. Four small picture booth pictures from when they had all crammed themselves in together.
Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Turning, she looked into Austin's light green eyes. He had been one of the first people to befriend her at her new high school. He was a grade higher than she was and they had shared an apartment when he graduated. Topaz had been skeptical at first and little worried after how her last roommate had turned out, but Austin had always been a perfect gentleman and the situation had resulted in a deep friendship.
Topaz's other friends, Molly and Cameron, had decided to stay in San Francisco. Neither were ready to go back to Bloomington, at least not to live. But Topaz knew it was time to go back. She missed her friends and her family and she owed them all an explanation for disappearing.
Topaz smiled up at Austin. He towered over her 5'5" frame at 6'2", but she never felt overpowered. He was too gentle.
"Worried?" he asked softly. His green eyes were full of compassion.
"A little," Topaz admitted. "It's been two years, after all. And I've missed them all so much. But I still don't know if I'm really ready."
"It'll be okay," Austin said as he placed his arm around Topaz's shoulders. "Come on, let's go get our luggage."
Topaz had decided the best thing to do would be to stay with her parents. They had a large house and plenty of room for her and Austin. She had called earlier that week to tell her parents she was coming home. She had also asked them not to tell her friends. She wanted to surprise them.
A couple of days later, Topaz prepared to find her friends. She was beginning to feel comfortable being at home again and felt it was time to visit the old haunts. In the two days they had been in Bloomington Topaz had discovered that Jade and Jendra still worked at The Laughing Planet and that Lapis had taken over her old job. They had all graduated as well and Jade, Jendra, and Lapis were sharing a new apartment. When Jendra moved out of her and Topaz's old apartment, Vanax and Jonquil had moved in. Noki was still living on his own in his small apartment.
Topaz stood outside the doors of The Laughing Planet. It was after hours, but she knew the doors would still be unlocked. They used to meet here at nights to hang out when no one else was around. She assumed they still did.
Topaz reached up to run her hands through her long dark hair. She had allowed her hair to grow out and go back to its natural near-black color. She was letting it flow free at the moment, so it fell almost to her hips. She took a deep breath and looked back at Austin for encouragement. With a compassionate nod, he indicated he would wait outside. She was glad he was there. She needed his support.
Only a few steps inside, Topaz was struck with a sense of nostalgia. It was as if she had never left. The walls were still painted in wild splashes of color. The picture wall was a little larger, though, and there was no sign of the violence that had been a result of Abram's death. Thinking of this she glanced at the manager's door to see the same name she had just before leaving. Wardrip. She had heard he was nice, but hadn't had time to find out for herself.
Topaz slid into the shadows as she looked around for her friends. She finally spotted them in a corner table. They had changed, but she knew it was them.
Vanax was taller and his hair was a little longer so his bangs flopped a bit when he turned his head to talk to Lapis. Her hair was also longer, reaching just below her shoulders. Her eyes were still a bright brown, though.
Noki was the exact same as she remembered him. Shining blonde hair and the deepest green eyes. He looked happier though. More relaxed than he used to be. He was laughing at some comment Jendra had made. Jendra's blonde hair was short, cut in a bob. Her blue eyes sparkled merrily as she joked with her soul-mate.
Jade was also sitting there. Her hair was shorter, cut to her shoulders, and a decidedly more noticeable purple. But despite the differences, Topaz could almost imagine the last two years had never happened.
Topaz's eyes searched the table. She knew who was missing. The one she wanted to see most. He wasn't there. She closed her eyes for a moment. Oh well. I'll just have to see him later.
She squared her shoulders and was about to approach the table when the door slammed open and a very angry looking Jonquil walked in. He looked around briefly then quickly approached the table. Leaning over he whispered something Topaz could barely make out.
"She's here. I feel her," he said softly.
Everyone stopped talking and stared at him. "But, she's in San Fran… with Molly…" Lapis said slowly trailing off.
"No, she's here. I know it," Jonquil said sitting down and putting his head in his hands. "She has been for awhile. I felt her about two days ago, but I can't find her anywhere and her parents won't tell me anything."
"Maybe you're imagining it," Jendra said softly. Topaz felt herself being drawn forward. She needed to touch him, to breathe his scent again. She took a deep breath and laid a hand on Jonquil's back.
"No, he's not," she said softly. His head shot up from his hands and he literally leaped out of his chair. He stared at her for a moment. She stood in front of him with a worried expression on her face.
Maybe he hates me for leaving. Maybe he was glad I was gone. He'd been still for so long, just staring, that Topaz was beginning to worry. To wonder. To fear.
She stopped immediately when he grabbed her and pulled her into a rough hug. "Oh god, Topaz. I've missed you so much," he whispered into her hair as he clutched her close. So close she felt as if she might stop breathing. She didn't care. Bursting into tears, she was content to hang in his arms. After a minute, she straightened up and turned to face the stunned group of people before her. "Hi," she said softly.
"You grew your hair out." Lapis was the first to speak. Topaz smiled and fingered the long strands.
"Yes. So did you."
Jade frowned and stood up. "What were you thinking?!" Topaz flinched away from Jade. Her eyes were wide and afraid. "How could you just leave us? You never called or anything! You might have been dead!" Jade raged. Topaz shook hard in the face of such long suspected hatred. Jade's accusations were true and painful.
"I know," she said softly. "It was terrible and stupid, but I couldn't stay here any longer. I'm sorry I never got in contact with you," she looked down at her hands. "Please don't hate me."
"Of course we don't hate you!" Lapis cried as she got up and hugged Topaz gently while Jendra pulled Jade back into her chair. "It's okay, I promise. We actually knew where you were. Jade is just upset. We missed you a lot."
"I missed you guys too." Suddenly everyone was standing, hugging her. Saying how much they missed her. Topaz stood in the middle of it and just smiled happily. She was where she belonged and no longer living in fear. Everything was as it should be.
Belatedly, she remember Austin. "Oh! Guys, there's someone outside that I want you all to meet. And I don't think he's a Night Worlder, so fake names."
She walked to the door and opened it. Looking out into the gathering darkness she spotted Austin leaning against the wall.
"Hey, Austin. Come here. I want you to meet everybody."
"I take it everything went okay?"
"Yeah. A little awkward at first, but gosh it feels good to be back." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the brightly lit building with exuberance.
"Everyone, this is Austin. Austin, this is Chris, Rob, Jay, Shane, James and Kelli." She pointed to each of them as she introduced everyone.
When she got to Lapis, Austin did the strangest thing. He kneeled. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"Your Royal Highness," he said in a slightly amazed voice. Lapis looked stricken. She looked around, but it was clear that Austin was addressing her. She reached over and pulled on his hands.
"Stand up. I'm not a Royal anything," she said in confusion. What was wrong with this guy? She jumped slightly when they touched. He had shocked her. She quickly dismissed it to the effects of the cold weather.
He stood up slowly and Lapis got a good look at his face. It was the boy. The one from her dream with the curly gold hair and the light green eyes. The one who called her 'Princess.' She narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again unsure of what to say. How to start. How to explain his purpose. "Your Royal Highness, I am Austin Firestorm, your loyal knight and protector."
Topaz's jaw dropped. "What?!" she practically shrieked. He turned to her.
"I'm sorry I had to lie to you," he said seriously.
"Oh, I don't care about that. I've been lying, too," she said quickly with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I wanna know why you think Kelli's royalty."
"Well… she is. That is, if my assumptions are correct. Of course, they haven't been yet or I wouldn't be here. But that's not important." He rambled a little to himself before coming back into focus. "And it's a long story that I'm not sure you should hear. It may endanger your lives."
Topaz crossed her arms. Might as well take the chance. "If you're talking about the Night World then just spill it cause we know and are part of it."
It was Austin's turn to look confused. "You are?"
Topaz nodded. "Yep. We all are. So out with it."
Austin nodded a little then turning to Lapis held out a chair for her and bobbed his head. "Your Highness?" She looked aghast.
"Look. I'll make a deal with you. Stop calling me 'Your Highness' and I'll sit down."
"If that's what you wish, Your… Madame," he said with a grin. Lapis dropped into the chair.
"Just call me Lapis, okay?" Austin nodded.
"Thank you. You've just confirmed everything." Lapis looked up surprised and weary.
"What do you mean?"
Austin took a deep breath and turned to the others nodding at the table. Everyone sat down slowly and Austin took the last chair, between Lapis and Topaz.
"Well, I suppose it all started years ago before you were even born, Lapis. To be precise, it began a year after your mother was born."
Chapter 2
* * *
Topaz stood in the airport clutching her carry-on bag. It had been two years; two long and horrible years since she had left Bloomington and moved to San Francisco. She had lived with Molly for a time, then enrolled in a high school and gotten a job. To her parents she had explained that she couldn't stay in Bloomington, blaming her unease on Zak's death and the deaths of her friend's siblings.
Her friends. Though she had made new ones, she couldn't forget her old group. She carried their pictures with her constantly. Four small picture booth pictures from when they had all crammed themselves in together.
Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Turning, she looked into Austin's light green eyes. He had been one of the first people to befriend her at her new high school. He was a grade higher than she was and they had shared an apartment when he graduated. Topaz had been skeptical at first and little worried after how her last roommate had turned out, but Austin had always been a perfect gentleman and the situation had resulted in a deep friendship.
Topaz's other friends, Molly and Cameron, had decided to stay in San Francisco. Neither were ready to go back to Bloomington, at least not to live. But Topaz knew it was time to go back. She missed her friends and her family and she owed them all an explanation for disappearing.
Topaz smiled up at Austin. He towered over her 5'5" frame at 6'2", but she never felt overpowered. He was too gentle.
"Worried?" he asked softly. His green eyes were full of compassion.
"A little," Topaz admitted. "It's been two years, after all. And I've missed them all so much. But I still don't know if I'm really ready."
"It'll be okay," Austin said as he placed his arm around Topaz's shoulders. "Come on, let's go get our luggage."
Topaz had decided the best thing to do would be to stay with her parents. They had a large house and plenty of room for her and Austin. She had called earlier that week to tell her parents she was coming home. She had also asked them not to tell her friends. She wanted to surprise them.
A couple of days later, Topaz prepared to find her friends. She was beginning to feel comfortable being at home again and felt it was time to visit the old haunts. In the two days they had been in Bloomington Topaz had discovered that Jade and Jendra still worked at The Laughing Planet and that Lapis had taken over her old job. They had all graduated as well and Jade, Jendra, and Lapis were sharing a new apartment. When Jendra moved out of her and Topaz's old apartment, Vanax and Jonquil had moved in. Noki was still living on his own in his small apartment.
Topaz stood outside the doors of The Laughing Planet. It was after hours, but she knew the doors would still be unlocked. They used to meet here at nights to hang out when no one else was around. She assumed they still did.
Topaz reached up to run her hands through her long dark hair. She had allowed her hair to grow out and go back to its natural near-black color. She was letting it flow free at the moment, so it fell almost to her hips. She took a deep breath and looked back at Austin for encouragement. With a compassionate nod, he indicated he would wait outside. She was glad he was there. She needed his support.
Only a few steps inside, Topaz was struck with a sense of nostalgia. It was as if she had never left. The walls were still painted in wild splashes of color. The picture wall was a little larger, though, and there was no sign of the violence that had been a result of Abram's death. Thinking of this she glanced at the manager's door to see the same name she had just before leaving. Wardrip. She had heard he was nice, but hadn't had time to find out for herself.
Topaz slid into the shadows as she looked around for her friends. She finally spotted them in a corner table. They had changed, but she knew it was them.
Vanax was taller and his hair was a little longer so his bangs flopped a bit when he turned his head to talk to Lapis. Her hair was also longer, reaching just below her shoulders. Her eyes were still a bright brown, though.
Noki was the exact same as she remembered him. Shining blonde hair and the deepest green eyes. He looked happier though. More relaxed than he used to be. He was laughing at some comment Jendra had made. Jendra's blonde hair was short, cut in a bob. Her blue eyes sparkled merrily as she joked with her soul-mate.
Jade was also sitting there. Her hair was shorter, cut to her shoulders, and a decidedly more noticeable purple. But despite the differences, Topaz could almost imagine the last two years had never happened.
Topaz's eyes searched the table. She knew who was missing. The one she wanted to see most. He wasn't there. She closed her eyes for a moment. Oh well. I'll just have to see him later.
She squared her shoulders and was about to approach the table when the door slammed open and a very angry looking Jonquil walked in. He looked around briefly then quickly approached the table. Leaning over he whispered something Topaz could barely make out.
"She's here. I feel her," he said softly.
Everyone stopped talking and stared at him. "But, she's in San Fran… with Molly…" Lapis said slowly trailing off.
"No, she's here. I know it," Jonquil said sitting down and putting his head in his hands. "She has been for awhile. I felt her about two days ago, but I can't find her anywhere and her parents won't tell me anything."
"Maybe you're imagining it," Jendra said softly. Topaz felt herself being drawn forward. She needed to touch him, to breathe his scent again. She took a deep breath and laid a hand on Jonquil's back.
"No, he's not," she said softly. His head shot up from his hands and he literally leaped out of his chair. He stared at her for a moment. She stood in front of him with a worried expression on her face.
Maybe he hates me for leaving. Maybe he was glad I was gone. He'd been still for so long, just staring, that Topaz was beginning to worry. To wonder. To fear.
She stopped immediately when he grabbed her and pulled her into a rough hug. "Oh god, Topaz. I've missed you so much," he whispered into her hair as he clutched her close. So close she felt as if she might stop breathing. She didn't care. Bursting into tears, she was content to hang in his arms. After a minute, she straightened up and turned to face the stunned group of people before her. "Hi," she said softly.
"You grew your hair out." Lapis was the first to speak. Topaz smiled and fingered the long strands.
"Yes. So did you."
Jade frowned and stood up. "What were you thinking?!" Topaz flinched away from Jade. Her eyes were wide and afraid. "How could you just leave us? You never called or anything! You might have been dead!" Jade raged. Topaz shook hard in the face of such long suspected hatred. Jade's accusations were true and painful.
"I know," she said softly. "It was terrible and stupid, but I couldn't stay here any longer. I'm sorry I never got in contact with you," she looked down at her hands. "Please don't hate me."
"Of course we don't hate you!" Lapis cried as she got up and hugged Topaz gently while Jendra pulled Jade back into her chair. "It's okay, I promise. We actually knew where you were. Jade is just upset. We missed you a lot."
"I missed you guys too." Suddenly everyone was standing, hugging her. Saying how much they missed her. Topaz stood in the middle of it and just smiled happily. She was where she belonged and no longer living in fear. Everything was as it should be.
Belatedly, she remember Austin. "Oh! Guys, there's someone outside that I want you all to meet. And I don't think he's a Night Worlder, so fake names."
She walked to the door and opened it. Looking out into the gathering darkness she spotted Austin leaning against the wall.
"Hey, Austin. Come here. I want you to meet everybody."
"I take it everything went okay?"
"Yeah. A little awkward at first, but gosh it feels good to be back." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the brightly lit building with exuberance.
"Everyone, this is Austin. Austin, this is Chris, Rob, Jay, Shane, James and Kelli." She pointed to each of them as she introduced everyone.
When she got to Lapis, Austin did the strangest thing. He kneeled. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"Your Royal Highness," he said in a slightly amazed voice. Lapis looked stricken. She looked around, but it was clear that Austin was addressing her. She reached over and pulled on his hands.
"Stand up. I'm not a Royal anything," she said in confusion. What was wrong with this guy? She jumped slightly when they touched. He had shocked her. She quickly dismissed it to the effects of the cold weather.
He stood up slowly and Lapis got a good look at his face. It was the boy. The one from her dream with the curly gold hair and the light green eyes. The one who called her 'Princess.' She narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again unsure of what to say. How to start. How to explain his purpose. "Your Royal Highness, I am Austin Firestorm, your loyal knight and protector."
Topaz's jaw dropped. "What?!" she practically shrieked. He turned to her.
"I'm sorry I had to lie to you," he said seriously.
"Oh, I don't care about that. I've been lying, too," she said quickly with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I wanna know why you think Kelli's royalty."
"Well… she is. That is, if my assumptions are correct. Of course, they haven't been yet or I wouldn't be here. But that's not important." He rambled a little to himself before coming back into focus. "And it's a long story that I'm not sure you should hear. It may endanger your lives."
Topaz crossed her arms. Might as well take the chance. "If you're talking about the Night World then just spill it cause we know and are part of it."
It was Austin's turn to look confused. "You are?"
Topaz nodded. "Yep. We all are. So out with it."
Austin nodded a little then turning to Lapis held out a chair for her and bobbed his head. "Your Highness?" She looked aghast.
"Look. I'll make a deal with you. Stop calling me 'Your Highness' and I'll sit down."
"If that's what you wish, Your… Madame," he said with a grin. Lapis dropped into the chair.
"Just call me Lapis, okay?" Austin nodded.
"Thank you. You've just confirmed everything." Lapis looked up surprised and weary.
"What do you mean?"
Austin took a deep breath and turned to the others nodding at the table. Everyone sat down slowly and Austin took the last chair, between Lapis and Topaz.
"Well, I suppose it all started years ago before you were even born, Lapis. To be precise, it began a year after your mother was born."
