Ever since that dream Nadia had new life breathed into her, something about that dream had sparked determination in her. Where she thought she was as ugly as Frankenstein and wasn't worth a grain of salt, he didn't see it that way. He had explained to her that she had survived, she breathed air into her lungs, and he had assured her those scars were barely visible, she was beautiful to him, and he loved her.
The one person that it matter to her told her that she was worth it, the one person she loved had returned his own love to her: Riddick. Nadia resumed her training and she worked harder to build her skills. She got faster with the rattan escrima sticks, blocking every attack Damien threw out at her. With her determination her strength grew, she picked up stealth, and even in her training with Damien she had beaten him to a pulp.
"I don't know what has gotten into you, but you are highly skilled." Damien accepting her help up from the floor.
"That dream. Damien, I can't see any of the damage I took that night, all I can do is feel the scars with my fingers. When he came to me, he assured me that I wasn't an ugly looking monster. He told me I was beautiful and that he loved me." Nadia giving him a small smile.
"Damn Nadia, it must have been some dream." Damien chuckled,
"Yeah, it was so vivid, he was real, all of it, so life like." Nadia rubbing her eyes. Damien noticed she had been rubbing her eyes more often.
"What's up with your eyes? Let me see them." Damien turning her head toward him. He still saw the dull film covering over her eyes but there was a tiny mercury silver glint in them.
"They itch sometimes, ever since my mark." Nadia explained he was quiet; he knew she was getting her second pair of eyes. He couldn't do anything but give her a big hug,
"What's up with you?" Nadia confused,
"You'll see in a few days or week." Damien smirked.
"Damn Damien, I hate it when you do this to me. Why can't you just tell me?" Nadia knowing it had to be good news, he just didn't hug her like that for no reason, he wasn't the coddling type. Damien was ex-military so he believed coddling someone would make them weak and lazy, and she had definitely not received handouts the entire time he was taking care of her. Nadia had fought tooth and nail to get where she was, and Damien couldn't be prouder of her.
She was about to be able to see again, and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. Nadia checked on Peter to see how Imam's place was coming,
"Hey, I've got time to put in today so what are we doing?" Nadia asked.
"We are about half done. The basement and tunnels took longer but it shouldn't be too much longer. We are finishing up the first floor so you can help with that." Peter giving her a hammer, she was steered in the direction of where they were working, and she sat to work. Nadia had become a pro at hitting nails with her hammer with the countless nails she had hammered building the town back.
Nadia had finally come out on top from the rumble that threaten to suffocate her, she had won and now, soon, very soon, she would have a home she could be proud of. She put her heart, soul, blood, and sweat into building this town back and because of her the people had a better life back, back from the ashes a phoenix arises. A few days later Nadia woke up, it was pitch black in her ship, but her eyes were on fire. She let out a cry that sounded like a wounded animal,
"Nadia, calm down. I brought some eye drops for ya." Damien explained. He held her down and put the eye drops in, it lessened the burning to a dull ache.
"What is wrong with my eyes sergeant?" Nadia asked,
"They are Furyan, Furyan's have shined eyes, from what little information I know. Females take longer to get their 'see in the dark' eyes I guess." Damien explained.
"Probably best if you stay put for a while. Keep using the eye drops." Damien putting the bottle in her hand,
"How is it you were here?" Nadia asked as she laid back down.
"I saw them trying to come in so I figured you would need some help." Damien shrugged; Nadia sighed in relief.
"You tryin' to play guardian angel?" Nadia asked,
"Figured you needed a strong male figure to teach ya, giving you help when you are too stubborn to ask for it." Damien explained.
"Good I got someone watchin' my six." Nadia trying to give him a smile,
"Here, almost forgot, take two of these." Damien giving her pills,
"They are for your migraine." Damien putting a glass of water in her hand. She swallowed them,
"I told Peter you got your eyes shined so there wouldn't be any questions asked." Damien explained.
"Thanks, with the help of some special contacts I should be able to see color too." Nadia explained,
"Need to get used to those eyes first." Damien seriously,
"At least things are looking up now." Nadia grumbled. Damien chuckled,
"Yeah, just don't let that training go to waste, just gonna have to blindfold you now to keep you on your toes." Damien seriously.
"Oh, come on Serge, I think I'm the most deserving person to get my sight back, don't you think?" Nadia asked.
"Yeah, however, if you want to best lover boy then you need not give up on 'seeing' with your other senses. Wouldn't you agree?" Damien asked. Nadia reluctantly agreed.
"Give me a few days. Kind of in a new kind of pain here." Nadia grumbled and groaned as she rolled over and fell back to sleep. Nadia resumed her training and finished Imam's place with Peter's help. Now they were building new houses to buy and to rent out. Peter and Nadia went in together and owned them. Nadia suggested to have apartments and condos built as well.
It took them a little longer to build the condos and apartments, but Cronus was pulling in people in droves. Nadia and Damien had become sort of governors of Cronus. They were setting up people who were left in the town with jobs and with the droves of people coming in they were responsible for the money the businesses were bringing in. Nadia was making sure everyone had a decent paycheck.
"It was a really good idea to make the station more welcoming." Peter explained.
"Yeah, I think the hotels turned out pretty nice too. Definitely like the rooftop bar and grill, very romantic shit don't you think?" Nadia enjoying a glass of wine and gazing out at the night,
"It is something." Peter drinking his beer.
"How are your eyes doing?" Peter asked,
"The burning is completely gone, and with my contacts I can see. It's as if it never happened." Nadia softly.
"Have you been to visit their graves?" Peter asked quietly,
"No, I haven't…I failed them Pete. I would dishonor them if I went." Nadia whispered,
"Nadia, no one could have done anything to stop those monsters. The best you could have done was try to get them to the vault. No one blames you." Peter seriously.
"I do. No matter what, I could never be forgiven for leaving them to die like that!" Nadia growled as she walked away. Tonight, would make three years to the day that her family had died and Nadia had been born. Never once had she gone to their graves. Never once did she seek forgiveness, how could she beg for forgiveness from a dead and rotting corpse when she herself could never forgive herself for leaving them, especially when she was trying to find the one man who could possibly have saved them from those monster.
Nadia fell asleep on her new bed in what would have been her old room, the other rooms had and always would be her family that she had failed to save. It was only four in the afternoon when she fell asleep. Sleep wasn't so kind to her though, her Furyan mark heated up and was glowing as she began to have another vivid dream, but this time there were no faces, just bodies. Bodies entangled within each other. Arms entangled and wrapped around a rather large body. Hands roaming over a strong muscular back, nails digging into that back as legs wrapped and entangled together with huge legs. Every touch like liquid fire coursing through her nerves. Nadia cried out in her sleep.