A SINGLE SMILE

"Lyra?"

There she was. Standing still, not a single movement further after turning around and seeing him for the first time again. Despite the time that had passed, her appearance had remained intact. Same slender body, same blue ocean eyes, same freckles scattered across her smooth natural skin tone body. All that had changed and he was quick to notice was the length of her beautiful chestnut hair. No longer was it reaching down past her waist, it had been shortened to now rest around her shoulders. It still looked just as beautiful regardless, she was still beautiful, just as he remembered her. Looking at her now he understood just how much he had truly missed her. His heart was beating insanely, his breathing was still heavy from the run, but starting to slow down. There was something unusual about her that brought about such an emotional stupor into his very being.

In the end all that mattered right now was that she was here.

What she did next absolutely broke him. She looked him in the eyes sending the biggest shock of electricity across his entire body and smiled at him. The most kindest and wholehearted sign of physical affection he had ever witnessed, aimed solely for him alone.

"Lemy!" She shouted with glee.

Both took a few steps closer to one another, straight out of a movie it felt like. Lyra remained in composure, keeping her smile intact. Lemy on the other hand was ready to burst, eye's suddenly turned from blue to watery red, small hicks of sobs escaping his mouth as his lips quivered with due to the raw emotion demanding to get out. Lyra extended her arms wide enough and still smiling nodded at him. Not taking it anymore, he dive at her and embraced her with all his given strength, both physical and emotional.

She was real. As he held on to her small frame and connected his body with hers, he knew she really was here.

He held on to her, one arm around her waist, another around her neck. Resting his chin on her shoulder he shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth together as hard as possible. In return she as well wrapped her arms around him and never once dropped that smile. His eyes began to sting and the tears began to leak through and flow down his face. He was afraid to never see her, but every night he knew, always knew that this wonderful day would eventually arrive.

Behind them both the rest of the family silently watched this long awaited interaction with nothing, but happiness. Lincoln proudly smiled at the beautiful imagery of his two children together at last, such a display of raw, unrestrained emotion, majority of it radiating from his son who had been lost for many years without his older sister by his side. His own heart's strings began to pull as he too threatened to cut loose the waterworks. Lynn grabbed his arm and smiled for him, Luna and mostly them two, a bond that many had thought had disappeared away long ago.

"Hey, I just got here. I'm not going away, Lemy. I'm not going anywhere." Lyra gently spoke to him. That soothing, voice that he could only remember, an angel's lullaby.

Lemy didn't want to let go, wanted this hug to last much longer, but as much as he wanted her all for himself he reluctantly let go just so he could see her face up close. Admire her oceanic eyes, stare into them and get lost in the alluring void they created.

"I...I never lost h-hope for us..." Lemy initiated their first conversation in ages, "To see each other again...Lyra, you have no idea just how much I missed you!"

"I missed you too." She kept on smiling, now holding him by the shoulders with both hands to get a better looked at him, "Oh my God! You've grown so much! Last I saw you, you could only reach me up to my waist, we are practically the same height now!"

"Yeah...we are." He simply smiled.

Grabbing his cheeks, Lyra's fingers grasped against his own skin. Such a cold feeling as her fingertips kissed his jawline, leaving a trail for him to feel. Lemy was already hot due to the mad dash he made back home, but right now his heat was increasing throughout his body, all due to this small act from his sister. The way she examined him was very shy of being intimate in a way. He couldn't explain it, but she managed to stir up something within him, he felt whole to finally see her, but this? Oh, this was definitely something else and he was too focused to fully examine it properly at the moment.

What had felt like an hour between them both had just ended in a matter of seconds as she backed away from him and back to the rest of the family whom stood by.

Poor Lemy, couldn't bear to let go as his fingers cling on to the last thread of her shirt as she moves away. He reminded himself that she was here to stay, for how long? That was still a mystery, but she was here now. Let the others share her company, despite the reluctance of such simple idea.

"I'm so happy to see the two of you together again. Lyra, Lemy... my two wonderful kids!" Lincoln wrapped an arm around Lyra and motioned Lemy to join them both. Not thinking twice he joined them, allowing Lincoln to embrace him as well. This was now the greatest day of his life and that was a hundred percent guarantee.

That Evening...

The whole family was back together now. Lucy and Lupa had arrived from their respective locations and had joined the rest of them for dinner, Lyra as the guest of honor. Lincoln had prepared a big meal for the family and all sat down to eat. Everybody was content with the sitting arrangements, Lyra sited next to her father by his left side while normally it was Lucy and Lynn side by side. Lemy sat next to his sister, Lincoln wanting his kids to have more interactions and catch up to do, an idea that Lemy appreciated. So far, them two had been chatting as if the last four years of no communication had never occurred, but that was due to the current bliss that was taking place, once it faded away the hard talk between them would commence. Lincoln knew it, Lupa knew it, everyone at the table knew that things could easily get real ugly between Lemy and Lyra, but this was a conversation that only those two could resolve and had to respect their personal emotions.

"How many celebrities did you meet sis?!" Lacy asked.

"Oh, I didn't really see anyone. I spent most of my time at the dorms or around campus, very rare for me to head out to downtown." Lyra answered back.

"Too dedicated to your studies I see. As long as you had a great time is all we care about." Lincoln added.

"So...any cute boys during that long time away?" Lynn smugly asked.

Lemy couldn't eat after that. That one sentence snapped him out of his funk. His chest suddenly felt as if a heavy weight was pulling down his heart. Not certain if anybody was looking at him and hoped they didn't because he could easily reel that his face had gained some color. The idea of Lyra dating was something that he had never thought about, like ever, but it felt like a massive electric shock to his entire body. It actually bothered him, it was really bothering him to a confusing rate.

While Lemy remained quiet by her side, Lyra herself was feeling the same affects as him, albeit a but more differently to a certain degree. Instead of blushing, her face had drained itself of all color, for a moment she had gone entirely pale. Her eyes had widened, either in surprise or fear at her aunt's question. For a brief second she had held in her breath and almost forgot how to breath. Having enough self control she immediately recuperated, closed her eyes and recollected her thoughts.

"No...too busy for such things." Lyra managed to produce a smile that almost appeared forced in a way.

The only actual people to notice the odd uncharacteristic reactions from both siblings were only Lucy and Lupa, both having always been very observant about others and their surroundings. They noticed, but stayed quiet, not wanting to talk about it, probably wasn't something worth investigating anyhow. The rest of the dinner went off without anymore odd questions like that one and Lyra couldn't had feel more at home as she was right now. She enjoyed the conversations with everybody including Lemy, but for the teenage boy he still couldn't shake off the imagery of Lyra actually dating. The idea of her being in a committed relationship was leaving a bad taste in his mouth and it was frustrating him to know why. A small voice was echoing from the far back of his mind, but it went mostly ignored.

"How long you planning on staying?" Lincoln asked. A question that everyone was curious to know. Lemy's head popped up and he looked at her, too wanting to know. How long would her stay be? He wanted her to stay that much was verified, but the final say was hers and hers alone.

"I don't...I don't have a... definite answer...yet." Lyra had stammered that response, not speaking with the confidence she was well known for.

"Lincoln waved it off, "Ah, you can stay as long as you please, until that answer comes to you. Okay? Besides your mother is going to want to see you too, so don't bail on us that quick at least."

After dinner everyone did their own thing. Lacy and Lynn practices outside, Lucy read one of her many dark romance genre novels and Lincoln and Lupa watched television together. Lemy and Lyra? He had offered to carry her luggage and walk her upstairs, clearly hogging her as much as he could. An obvious fact that Lincoln and Lupa could tell, both having different attitudes towards him. For Lupa who laid on the couch with her legs dangling off the arm part, she wondered about her big sister for a bit, having to now that she was back. Yeah Lyra acknowledge her existence fair play, yet that didn't stop Lupa from brushing her off and giving her all the attention in the world that the rest were happily offering her. No, she doesn't flow like that, Lyra would leave again soon, so no point in even trying to hold any serious conversation with her anyhow. She is more of a stranger than a sister to her now.

"She seems alright." She casually told her father who sat at the opposite end of the sofa.

"She was always an alright person." Lincoln understood her daughter's callous relationship with Lyra, it appears that it wouldn't go away any time soon, " Enjoy her while she stays here, talk to her, hang out together Lupa. The two of you have grown up so much from the last time you were last together."

"She'll be gone by next week and back to Hollywood land, nah, waste of my time pops." Lupa said.

Lincoln could only sigh in resignation at her uncooperative emotions. He figured much that she would refuse to accept her back home, yet he hopes that things would change in the following days, he really did. As for Lacy, she didn't know what hate was, love and friendship are her only life mottos, she wouldn't stop gawking at her older sister throughout the whole day. She had no problem with Lyra whatsoever, Lincoln was happy for them to have some fun girl time together. Let Lyra teach her some things that she has learned through out the years, be the great mentor he knew she was capable of. Finally it all fell on Lemy, his only son and the only one who was Lyra's direct actual sibling. Those two have hit it off pretty well and he wants it to continue to stay that way, but he did worry that Lemy was low-key sore at Lyra for having gone dark for this many years. Whenever that conversation occurred he prayed that it wouldn't cause a critical blow to their relationship.

Lynn entered the house through the kitchen backdoor to grab a water bottle, Lacy was still outside practicing with her soccer ball. Lucy who was sited on the kitchen table paid her no mind, but as soon as she was turning to leave she caught her attention, "Lyra appears to be in great spirits is she not?"

"Sweet Jesus! Luce' how long have you've been sitting there?"

Lucy only sighed, forever used to her capability to go unnoticed, but also slightly annoyed that most of her siblings still have a hard time not noticing her most of the time, even when she's not even hiding, but standing in plain visible sight. Some things will never change, but that let us not get distracted by the main topic at hand. Lucy was equally happy to witness the return of her niece. Like a vampire lord returning from beyond the grave to reunite with his mistress and forever dance in the darkness to the melody of a thousand wailing ghosts, but that was just her perfect interpretation. There were some peculiar symptoms that she had bared witnessed to, small enough to be hidden from the average mortal, but easily penetrable for a master of the dark arts as herself. She would have time to speak to her niece, but now it was time to rest and be consumed by the glory of the night.

Recovering from her initial spook, Lynn came to her senses and thought about her sister's question, "Well of course she would be. She hasn't seen any of us for four whole years, her not being happy would be worrisome to begin with."

She did have a point, Lucy admitted, but there was something off about her that she she couldn't place her finger on it, but knew it was defiantly there within her in hiding, "You may be right, but does...did you notice any signs of reluctance and weariness on her behalf?"

"Lucy, Lyra just got here. She is clearly exhausted from the long flight, that jet lag is real after all. Lincoln couldn't get out of bed for the whole day after the flight to the Bahamas, remember?" Lynn reminded her. Lucy sighed again. Lynn was missing the overall point...as usual for her, but in a way she was not wrong as well, maybe it was exhaustion from the long trip or maybe there was more to it. In the end Lucy said no more and returned to her novel, tomorrow would be a new day and as stated before, she would have her chance to better analyze her long lost niece. At least Lemy and Lincoln were happy and their happiness was her happiness, it was that simple.

Upstairs...

"Wow, your side hasn't changed much." Lyra looked around in their old room as Lemy stood by the door.

"Yeah well...not much to change to begin with." Lemy scratched his head, "Most of your stuff is in the attic, but those boxes contain some old stuff of yours. Must feel weird right?"

"Sort of." Lyra sat down on his bed.

He chose to approach despite feeling his heart racing fast for every step closer he took. What the hell was wrong with him? He missed her that was the hard truth, so he supposed it made sense to feel all warm and tingling on the inside after so long of not actually seeing her. Standing by her side, he nervously reached out with his hand and touched her hair. Looking up she did not nothing but smile at him as he himself felt her hair slipping in-between his fingers.

"I never would have pictured you without your long hair sis."

Lyra lowered her gaze with a small frown to follow as he said that. Guess she didn't like that he thought and wanted to correct himself in case he had offended her, but before that could happen she grabbed his hand with her own and applied some strength into her squeeze. His heart jump-started at her touch, but stayed quiet as she held on. Her frown remained, but when she looked back up to him her eyes which were full of sadness quickly made the transition to that of absolute calmness as she stared into his equally deep blue eyes.

"Neither did I, but...I like it. Don't you?" She said.

"...You look beautiful." He gladly told her.

Closing her eyes, she placed the side of her face against his hand which she still held on to. Lemy had no idea what to do as his sister rubbed her herself against the palm of his hand like a purring cat would do. Seeing her actions and that sweet smile of hers was really fucking with his emotions, a sensational feeling that he was very familiar with was arising, but instead of coming from downstairs it was emitting from his very own heart. If Lupa or Lacy had done this then the door to the room would be locked and all their clothes scattered about on the floor, but this was different. He felt an emotion more powerful than lust, it was beautiful. He moved his fingers to feel her skin as well, such smoothness and beauty in a single person who happened to be a wonderful human being was such a rarity in this modern world.

"Such a romantic. I'm so lucky to have you." Lyra happily said.

"Me too." Lemy admitted.

The next move on her part was unexpected as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him over for a hug while still sited on the bed. Resting her head on his chest, she made herself comfortable much to her brother's slight embarrassment. She was really pulling out all the stop signs as he blushed as hard as he ever could. He would have told her something, but this was something beautiful happening between them both and wanted it to last for as long as possible. She placed her ear against the spot where his heart would be located and softly listened to the heart beats, one at a time. Lemy finally gaining the courage places both his hands on her head and felt her hair as his fingers ran through them. This peaceful moment didn't last unfortunately for Lyra suddenly without warning pushed him away and got right back up to her feet. A look of worry having replaced her former serene state of being.

"I-I-I got-t t-to go to bed!" Lyra didn't even look at him as she reached for the door, "Goodnight Lemy!"

She closed the door behind her and left him alone in his room. Alone with his thoughts. She would be staying at one of the vacant rooms in the house, the one formerly belonging to Lori and Leni respectfully. He could hear the door to that room opening and closing, now he stood there with bewilderment as to her abrupt leave. Maybe she didn't like that he placed his hand son her head or perhaps...as he imagined, she felt as if a boundary had been overstepped. He wondered about that, how would she react when, if, she ever knew about his relationships with both Lupa and Lacy? Was that why she left? She didn't want to be 'that' close to him? He would be lying to himself if he said that a small pain in his heart was felt as that crossed his mind. He needed to know what he was feeling...no scratch that, he knew what he was feeling, but he needed to be sure if it was genuine on his behalf. These types of emotions he had never experienced with Lacy and even less with Lupa.

Perhaps it has been so long and she looked much more mature and beautiful from last he remembered. It was likely messing with his head. Tomorrow would be a brand new day and Lyra would be around to spend it with. Lemy laid in bed, pondering what to do next?