Chatton Parapsychology Center – Florida

The breeze was warm as they stepped off of the launch and into the Florida sunshine. Both Lucas and Samantha had quickly thrown on their sunglasses, as had Captain Bridger and Dr. Westphalen. Sam had even thought ahead and brought a pair for Ellie, who slipped them on and then stepped out onto the lawn and threw her arms out, turning her face up to the sunshine.

"I don't know how you guys do it," she said. "I'd miss the sun."

"You get used to it pretty quickly," Sam replied.

"Yep," Lucas agreed.

The group moved forward to where a party of Chatton scientists awaited them, along with Dr. Laura Fletcher. She greeted them warmly and introduced them to the members of the team that would be conducting Ellie's session. Dr. Fletcher took Ellie in as she shook hands with the members of the scientific team. She now knew where Lucas had inherited his "gift." But Ellie had even more than Lucas, and Dr. Fletcher found it fascinating, wondering if Ellie even realized all that she could do.

"Ellie, Lucas, Samantha, why don't you let the guides show you to your rooms?" Dr. Fletcher said.

The three followed the guides away as Dr. Fletcher turned to the Captain. "Captain, Doctor, a pleasure as always."

"It's good to see you again Laura," Bridger replied.

"Indeed. And you've brought us yet another interesting case involving the young Lucas. I was just saying to myself that I can see now where he got his gift for co-habitation. She, Ellie, can do it as well. She also has many other abilities, I wonder if she knows about them."

"Abilities? Such as?" Kristen questioned.

"Well, besides being able to take in another soul just as Lucas can, she has strong psychic ability, as well as the ability to use telekinesis if she was trained to do it."

"Somehow I don't think she is aware," Bridger stated.

"Pity," Dr. Fletcher replied. "She has real potential. But, if what you say is correct, she doesn't have much longer."

"No, she doesn't," replied Bridger, sadly.

"Poor Lucas," Dr. Fletcher said. "It's clear how attached to her he's already become. It's going to be seriously damaging to him when she's gone."

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Lucas was placed in the same room as he'd been in during his last visit to Chatton. Sam and Ellie were placed on either side of him. He set his bag down next to the bed and sat down. He stared at the vidcom console and wondered if Lawrence would call him this time as well. He hoped not, because he didn't know what he would say and he certainly wouldn't be able to act normally.

He lay down on the bed, closing his eyes. He wasn't ready for this, he didn't want it. All he wanted was for Ellie to stay. The Captain could send her someplace safe where Lawrence would never find her. When she had the baby, him, he could have a brother, she could name him something other than Lucas. He made a mental note to ask the Captain about it.

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Ellie sat down at the desk in her room and pulled a piece of paper from the desk drawer along with a pen. She stared out of the window, wondering what she should write. She wanted to write a letter to Lucas, so that she might say all of those things to him that never seemed to come out when they were together. It was something for him to have after she was gone, and she wanted it to be as complete as possible.

"Dearest Lucas," she began.

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Lucas was awakened by a knock on his door. "Who is it?" he called out groggily.

"IRS. We've come to repossess your computer."

Lucas got up and walked to the door, opened it, and then walked back to the bed and flopped back down. "What's up?"

"Gee, thanks for the warm welcome. Were you sleeping?" Sam said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah," he mumbled, still sleepy.

"Well, wake up, Ellie and I want to go get lunch."

"So go," Lucas said, before he came to his senses. "Scratch that…I'm up."

Sam folded her arms across her chest and waited.

"What?!" Lucas asked, annoyed.

"I'm waiting for you, because I know that if I don't you're going to go right back to sleep."

Lucas mumbled something unintelligible and sat up. After a few minutes of blinking his eyes, he fully woke up and stood. "Okay, let's go."

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Pizza was the lunch of choice, and after securing a recommendation from one of the students they headed off toward town. They looked like 3 normal students, no one would have thought otherwise. Ellie walked lightly, swinging her arms and just generally enjoying being outside. Her enjoyment was infectious, and soon all 3 were laughing and joking as they walked.

Sitting in the restaurant, they stared at the empty pizza pan, stuffed beyond words.

"I'm so full," Ellie moaned her hand over her stomach.

"Well I should hope so," Lucas teased. "You ate more than Sam and I combined!"

"Hey, that works out if I'm eating for two people."

"That's just an excuse," Lucas said.

"Is it? I have another body to feed…what's your excuse?"

Lucas opened his mouth to come back with some smart-assed comment, but couldn't think of one and just sat back.

"That's what I thought," Ellie said.

Sam snickered and Lucas glared at her. "Hey, I have no loyalties here," she replied. Lucas again opened his mouth to say something.

"All right you two," Ellie interjected. "Let's walk this off."

Lucas growled in frustration and slid out of the booth, heading for the door.

"What's gotten up his butt?" Sam wondered aloud.

"Stress," Ellie replied. "He'll be okay, don't worry."

Both women slid out of their side of the booth and headed out after Lucas. He was standing by the water, just looking out. Ellie came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He cringed but she didn't move.

"Stop it Lucas," she said quietly.

He turned icy blue eyes on her and shrugged her hand away. "Don't."

Ellie frowned at him. "Lucas, please. Don't do this."

He backed away from her. He couldn't explain what he felt now; he just knew that he didn't want to be around her. Spinning on his heel, he walked away. Ellie just stood there, watching him walk away, before sitting down on the concrete barrier that separated them from the sea. She turned and looked out, just as he had done. "I'm sorry I can't change it Lucas. I'm really sorry," she whispered.

Sam, watching the whole scene, couldn't make sense of what had just happened. Lucas was really going to let it end this way? He was going to hurt Ellie, completely shut down, to avoid the reality? She turned and went after Lucas. She knew that Ellie would be fine on her own. She broke into a run to catch up to him.

"Lucas! What's your issue?"

"Go away Sam."

"I will not go away. What you just did was horrible."

Lucas stopped and spun around to face her. "Horrible? Let me tell you about horrible Sam," he spat. "Horrible is getting her and then losing her in about 48 hours. Horrible is knowing that she's going to die. Horrible is knowing what you're going to be stuck with once she's gone: two people who could care less about you. Horrible is what I feel right now!" he yelled, almost getting in her face.

She shoved him back. "Back off Wolenczak," she growled.

"No! You wanted to know what my issue was! You insisted on talking to me! So here it is Sam!"

"Lucas, you seriously need to chill."

"CHILL?? HOW CAN I CHILL WHEN MY MOTHER IS ABOUT TO DIE??" he screamed.

"Lucas!" Sam yelled, slapping him across the face. "Calm down!"

Lucas backed up, the sting from the blow making his eyes water. "What the hell was that for?" he yelled.

"To get you to realize that you need to stop freaking out and stop taking this out on her! It's not her fault Lucas! She didn't die on purpose!"

Lucas spun around, turning his back to Sam as he ran his hands through his hair. "I can't Sam! I can't do this! I can't get closer to her, I can't be around her any more, and I don't want to feel this anymore! If I do I won't be able to take it when she's gone Sam! I can't…" he said, his voice faltering. He covered his face with his hands to try to regain his composure. Sam watched in silence.

"I'm sorry," he said finally.

"I'm not the one you should be saying that to," she replied.

Lucas turned to face her again, his face a mask of stone. Sam knew that he'd put the wall up over his emotion, and it was probably best.

"Don't you think that she might be feeling the same things that you are Lucas? Don't you think she might be hurting as much as you are? She's the one who's dying Lucas. She's losing everything. You still have your whole life ahead of you."

"Yeah, my whole life without her. Stuck with parents who don't give a rat's ass about me."

"You've come this far without her Lucas. At least now you know who she is, what she's like. She told you, she would always be with you no matter what, and I believe that it's true."

Lucas sighed heavily. "We should go back and find her," he said.

"I think so too."

They walked back in silence only to find Ellie gone. They asked the server inside if he had seen her and were told that she had caught a cab back. Lucas cursed under his breath for being so stupid as he and Sam headed back to the campus.

Upon arrival, there was no sign of Ellie. She didn't answer the door to her room, so Sam and Lucas decided to walk the campus to see if they might find her, but to no avail.

"What if something happened to her already Sam? What if I missed it?" Lucas worried.

"I can't see that it would Lucas. I mean, Gavin set this all up, he wouldn't bring her here in just enough time to take her away before you get what you came here for." She said, as Lucas opened the door to his room and flipped on the light.

"Surprise!" Ellie yelled.

Both Lucas and Sam jumped back. "What the…." Lucas started.

"Surprise I said! Happy Un-Birthday Lucas, to steal a line from Alice in Wonderland."

Lucas looked around the room, seeing that Ellie had decorated it as if for a birthday party. He gave her a confused look.

"I was thinking that since I won't be here for your birthday, I'd throw one for you. After you left, I saw a store across the street. I have the money I won from Ben last night, so I used a little of it to buy this stuff," she said, grinning.

Lucas was taken aback and immediately felt bad. He'd been so mean to her, but she had already forgiven it and was trying to do something nice for him. Despite himself, he smiled and moved to hug her. He wrapped his arms around her slender frame and held her close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine Lucas," she replied. "I understand, trust me, I do." She pulled away from him. "I even got you a cake!"

Lucas laughed. "Alright! What kind?"

"Chocolate, of course."

"How did you…"

"It's my favorite too. Lucky guess?"

Lucas smirked and looked at Sam, who stood next to him. "You staying?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss chocolate cake for anything."

Ellie brought the cake out of the small refrigerator and stuck a single candle on it. She picked up a small lighter, flicking it, and touched the flame to the wick. "Okay Lucas, make a wish, and make it a good one," she said. "One that you know can actually come true," she added.

"Wait!" Sam cried, whipping a small camera out of her pocket. "Let me take a picture!"

Lucas, already a little taller than Ellie, put his arm around her shoulders as she wrapped her arms around his waist, the cake with its festively glowing candle between them. Sam snapped the picture, looking at the digital display to see how it came out.

"It's a good one. Okay Lucas, blow that candle out!" Sam said cheerfully.

Lucas closed his eyes and wished for the strength to cope with what he knew was coming. He could only hope that this "un-birthday" wish would come true.