The finale!!! And, sadly, the end of this story. But there will be over 20 stories following once I get going!!!

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Raven's secret-keeper

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Unforeseen Surprises

Chapter 10: Poetry in Motion

Dove was taking some time off from training with Raven. They had begun to work on her telekinesis, and it was getting incredibly stressful. She had her little notebook of poetry in front of her, reading through a list she kept the front two pages of poetry for.

In list of titles was Lost and Alone, Found and Belonging, Azarath, My Best Friend, and Ode to Azar. Dove sighed, remembering the moment her mother had given her that piece of paper with the poem written on it. Her mother was also a poet, and had scribbled a poem of ecstasy on a scrap piece before Dove told her about the vision and her final decision to leave.

Alerina, Dove's mother, knew about Dove's thought process, and the fact that Dove cared deeply for others and life. She sighed and handed Dove the poem with tears but a smile on her face. "Don't ever forget me, Dove," Alerina told her. "I couldn't if I was desperate," Dove had replied. "You've almost never left me to do something alone. I'll always be able to rely on your spirit, even if… you're not…" Dove had struggled to breath through a tight lump in her throat, and she and her mother hugged for the last time they would ever make physical contact, for as tightly and as long as they could.

Dove got off the bed, leaving the notebook upside-down, and stood looking up at her ceiling, eyes glazed with tears. "I'll still never forget you," Dove promised herself. She was immediately plummeted into a tumultuous flurry of memories, each of which had its own of the many tears falling from Dove's eyes. She remembered how her mother came home one day with the news that, "Azar had officially transcended the mortal plane," and when she had woken up from a dream as a five-year-old, and once when her mother had told her about why it was so important to keep her emotions in check.

Dove bowed her head and inhaled with a little sobbing squeak noise and put her arms on the bookshelf and rested her head on it. The thought of her mother was just far too painful, and she had avoided the thought for almost half a year now. There was no escaping it this time, and Dove just let the tears fall as they came. It was no use trying to stop them, anyway.

She began sobbing softly to herself, lost in a great storm of memories and deafened and blinded to the real world by pain of the memories. It hurt her so incredibly terribly to think about the one person who was there, the only comfort in her poisoning world of being a half-demon, the only consoling factor in a huge problem known to her a heritage.

There was no escaping it then.

She moaned and asked Azar softly why her mother wouldn't come. Then she remembered the poem; "a greater prize lies on the horizon," and "But oh, great Azar, we'll be one!" But she shuddered out a sigh, then continued sobbing softly.

Any unknown time later, Raven came in and softly called, "Dove?"

Dove looked towards her doorway, her eyes red and her face tear-streaked and moist.

"Dove, what is it? You're so…"

Dove just sobbed once. "I can't believe she's gone," Dove whispered almost inaudibly.

Raven had an instinct that it was her mother. They were beginning to form an empathetic bond somehow. When either girl was upset, the other would know. This was one of those times.

"Is it about Alerina?" Raven always referred to her by her name, because "Mother" had sentimental meaning, and that was the last thing Dove needed.

Dove nodded weakly.

"How long have you been like this?"

A shrug.

"Dove… You were so close to your mother… It's… not the best- "

"I know, but I can't help it…"

"Dove…" Raven sighed gently. "I know how hard this is on you. It's hard not to."

"Why? Because you're an empathy or because you're with me almost 24-7?"

"Probably both."

Raven sat down on the bed and noticed the open book on the bed. "Dove, what's this?" Raven picked up the notebook and began leafing through the pages. Dove didn't mind much; she had begun to trust Raven at least a bit and they began to accept each other as friends as well as sisters. Which would be a lot to say for either of them.

Of course, the bond began to come naturally, because they both understood what the other meant and knew what it's like being the daughter of an other-dimensional demon, and of course the fact that, though Dove was easily more sentimental (which had toned down just a bit since she had first come), they had much more than heritage in common. The others even began viewing Dove in the same way they viewed Raven. Still, Dove was still getting used to the other team members and refused to go on any missions.

And the girls did have their differences, though. Dove liked to observe nature, and Raven didn't write poetry. And, of course, Raven was raised in a completely different way and environment than Dove. And Dove admitted to being squeamish around blood or intense pain. She said it's not exactly from a weak stomach, but because of the pain experienced, and without the chemical that eases the pain on the body in the empath (Dove), it's harder on her. And the fears, of course. Dove won't go anywhere NEAR a roller coaster.

Still, with all of their differences in their bodies, Dove being a bit shorter in height and proportion and the fact that she's still a bit oblivious when it comes to Earthen culture, Dove and Raven are feeling the beginnings of a close relationship.

Raven began comforting Dove, further strengthening the new existence. Raven started stroking Dove's hair, and Dove felt a bit comforted. Though she never knew Raven until only a few months ago, she was comforted and slowly sank into the arms of her sister.

After all, what more could she do?

And she felt a bit more at ease knowing that one day she would, in fact, tell Raven everything she could and that she wasn't quite so lost in her own world. Maybe Raven was the solution…

Dove sighed and relaxed. For once, the thoughts of her mother were replaced by happier, hopeful and joyous thoughts.

Maybe this is where I belong…

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-Raven's secret-keeper

See the end of the epilogue for a sneak peak and a description of the next upcoming story!