The Long Road Back Begins With a Single Step

Several days later Low Light still was at the cabin trying to recover when he received another shock, "What do you mean my sister's coming? How could you tell her about this! She can't handle this! What were you thinking?"

"You have to give her a chance," Bree told him. "She already knows part of it."

"What part?" Low Light asked.

"That you were hurt and something was done to you," She said. "Please, she's your sister. Don't shut her out when you need her the most."

Low Light groaned and stepped back. "You shouldn't have told her! She doesn't need to know about what happened!"

"Oh yes I do."

Low Light turned around and saw his sister Una standing there with her arms folded. "Oh I forgot to mention that's she's already here," Bree whistled. "I think I'll leave you two alone now." She went off quickly.

Lifeline was outside as Bree left the cabin. "That was a pretty lousy trick."

"Well someone had to do it," Bree told him as she gave him a hug. "You're really going to do it today aren't you?"

"I have to Bree," Lifeline said. "I just have to…get it off my chest and get it over with. It's the only way I'll be able to put it behind me."

"Normally I'd argue that you're taking drastic measures but lately…" Bree sighed. "You have to do what's best for you. I just wish you didn't have to…"

"So do I," Lifeline sighed.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," Lifeline said. "Lift Ticket will bring me there and back. I just gotta do this alone. Besides someone needs to stay with Low Light and Una in case things get rough."

She looked back. Low Light and Una were embracing inside the cabin. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," Bree told him.

Inside the cabin Low Light pulled away. "I just…didn't want to burden you with this. This is my problem. Not yours."

"Listen to me," Una told him. "You've looked after me all my life and watched out for me. Now it's my turn to do the same for you. Okay? So do me a favor Cooper and don't be a jerk about this!"

"Okay," Low Light sighed. "You win."

"We're gonna get you through this you know," She said.

"I don't think I'll ever completely get over it," Low Light sighed.

"It doesn't matter," She held his hand. "I'll stand by you. For as long as you need me. Got it?"

"Una…" Low Light looked at her. "I'm not…normal anymore."

"You were never normal period."

"You know what I mean!" Low Light shouted. "What if I do something with these…powers that will hurt someone, or you. I can't…"

"Listen to me," Una told him. "Underneath everything…all that macho, sarcastic tough guy attitude…you are still the same sweet boy who used to tuck me in at night and sing to me. You are still that big brother who protected me when things were at their worst. And I love you, no matter what they did to you."

Low Light lightly fell into her embrace again. "You will never be a monster to me," Una said. "Even if you grow horns or scales or have fur out your ears…I know the real you. And that's what I'm always going to see."

Bree watched the touching scene between the two, yet she was still uneasy. Just as one family was growing closer together, another was about to fall apart.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

That afternoon the Reverend Steen was at his desk preparing a sermon. "Writing another hypocritical sermon on goodness?" Lifeline walked into the room.

"Edwin I…" Reverend Steen began.

"No you shut up and listen," Lifeline interrupted. "For years I've had to listen to you and for once you are going to listen to me. Maybe if you had none of this would have ever happened in the first place!"

"Edwin I understand how you must be feeling now…"

"You have no idea how I am feeling right now! People were hurt. My friend nearly died because of you! He was…tortured all because you couldn't let me live my life! He may never recover from his ordeal! Why did you do it? Why couldn't you let me live my life? And don't give me that garbage about all of it being God's plan. God had nothing to do with this. This was all about your ego wasn't it?"

"Edwin this is something bigger than you!" Reverend Steen shouted. "Bigger than all of us! You have to realize…"

"No Father, you have to realize that this is my life!" Lifeline shouted. "And if I want to live it I can't have you in it anymore!"

"What are you saying?"

"I've tried so hard to forgive you in the past," Lifeline said. "I'd even forgiven you for what you did to me as a kid. But this…You hurt my friend. You betrayed my trust and tried to sell me out to the enemy without even thinking of the consequences! Well here's one consequence…I'm never going to see you again."

"Edwin," Reverend Steen reached out to him.

"Don't! Don't try to say you're sorry. Its not enough this time. Good bye Father," Lifeline said coldly. Then he walked out the door. His father didn't call him back.

He walked out into the hall and saw his sister staring at him. "I heard everything," She said.

"Stephanie…" Lifeline started to say. "I can't forgive him this time. I can't."

"I don't blame you Edwin," She said softly. "Peter and I have talked. We're moving as far away from him as possible. We can't take the chance he might do something to the baby too. Good bye Edwin. Maybe when we get settled we'll have you come over. You're always welcome at our house."

"Thanks Sis," Lifeline embraced her. "Maybe someday I can forgive him. But right now I just need to get away from him. I'm just so sorry I caused so much pain."

"You didn't. You're not Father, Edwin," She told him. "You never were."

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A few months later Low Light entered Hawk's office. "You wanted to see me Hawk?"

"I wanted to welcome you back to active duty soldier," Hawk shook his hand. "How are you holding up?"

"I'll live," Low Light said. "Does anybody know…?"

"The story is that you were tortured but nothing else. The only people who know what really happened are Lifeline, Bree, Doc, Shipwreck, Psyche-Out and myself," Hawk told him. "And they won't say anything without my permission."

"I see. There's something I need to ask you," Low Light. "I need a favor."

"All right."

"Don't make me…" Low Light clenched his fists. "Use these…abilities. Please. In the first place if Bragg ever found out…"

"I understand," Hawk held his hands up.

"I just want to be a normal Joe again," Low Light said. "Please don't make me be anything else. I can suppress it now. Keep it hidden away. I won't even need to use it if I'm careful. Just please…let me at least…go on as if nothing has changed."

"Well for one thing Low Light there is no such thing as a normal Joe," Hawk started.

"I just want to be me again even if I'm only pretending," Low Light whimpered. "I never begged for anything before Hawk. You know that…"

"You can't hide it forever you know," Hawk said softly. "But I won't push you. If that's what you want Low Light, okay. I'll respect your wishes."

"Thank you," Low Light whispered. "What about Bragg? Have you made any headway on that?"

"I wish I could say I have," Hawk sighed. "I was just about to address the others on that." He got up and made his way to the auditorium. Low Light followed him and sat with the other Joes.

Hawk faced the Joes in the room. "I know what a lot of you have been saying," Hawk said. "And believe me, I'd be the first one to gun him down like a dog. But the fact remains that somehow the whole incident at Moreausseau is being covered up and this time there's not a damn thing we can do about it. This time. But there will be another time."

"Yeah and when that slimeball makes a slip we'll be all over him like a flock of seagulls on fresh bait," Shipwreck growled.

"You said it," Beach Head nodded. "No one deserves to be experimented like that." He glanced at Lifeline and looked away. "No one."

"I promise this," Hawk said coldly. "Never again."

"Never again," Several Joes said quietly, but with passion.

"Never again," Low Light said softly in a quiet corner. If anyone had been looking at him, they would have noticed that his eyes were glowing underneath his night vision goggles. But no one did.