It's true

That morning the kids woke up first, after Eureka and Renton, and their hearts flew. The rest of the Thurston household didn't sleep long after Linck, Maeter, and Maurice peeked through the crack in the door, only to see an empty bed.

And so Grandpa Thurston and the Gekko all woke up to shouts of: "MAMA! Mama! Where is Mama!" The kids ran down the stairs, not noticing the smell of breakfast, or the sound of Renton and Eureka's excitement.

She turned immediately to Renton, with a spatula still in hand, and gave him a look which seemed to convey resurfacing worries – the same feelings Eureka had when the kids first ran to her after returning.

"It's fine. I'll finish breakfast." Eureka's worries drained from her face. She hurriedly placed down the spatula, took off her apron, and turned towards the staircase just as the kids came down the last steps.

"MAMA!" There was no hesitation – no sadness – not even tears of happiness. There was only joy, pure and simple, as the kids tackled their mama onto the kitchen floor, smothering her in squeezes and kisses.

"Good morning. Good morning. Good morning." The kids were hardly listening. They couldn't stand to take in anything other than their mama's touch. Slowly but surely, they joyous sensation spread to their other senses. They took in her scent, her caring look, and finally her voice.

"Come on – Linck, Maurice, Maeter – breakfast is done." Renton's voice brought them back to reality. Together, the three kids and Eureka lifted themselves off the floor.

Breakfast passed normally, for a minute or two, before Axel and the rest came into the kitchen one by one.

"Well, well," began Axel, as he sat down next to Maurice at the counter, "Sleeping Beauty has woken up. Have pleasant dreams, did we?"

Eureka hadn't stopped helping Renton make breakfast, but made sure to look Axel in the eye while she spoke to make sure he knew she had listened. "Mmm. I wouldn't call it a pleasant dream. . .but it wasn't sad or scary, either. I was writing a book. My own book – like a diary or journal. And when I was done I went to deliver it. . .to. . .someone."

Eureka became lost in thought for a moment. Hearing the oddness in Eureka's tone, Renton was level headed enough to look over to her cooking station. Just as he thought, the pancakes were beginning to burn. Immediately, Renton rushed over to the pan, flipped the food, and sighed.

"–But I don't remember who to." Eureka finished, and saw Renton walking away from the pan. "Oh! I forgot!" Eureka inspected the pancakes, a little ashamed of her absent mindedness. "There not burnt. Thank goodness. Um, sorry, Renton."

Renton was already back to his station, stirring the eggs, and turning the sausage. "It's fine. And here's our fearless leader. Food's up."

Talho came down behind Holland, who had kept his habit of walking around in swimming trunks. "Didn't I say to cut that out? Anyways–"

"Are you feeling better, Eureka?" Talho had walked over to the kitchen, and was fussing over Eureka's features, looking for any sign of fatigue or malnutrition.

In between Talho's thorough inspection, and Holland's yawns – and demands for more syrup – Eureka attempted to answer sincerely.

"Well, umm. I feel better after taking a shower." Both she and Renton realized what Eureka had just said, and they both blushed deep red – something that didn't go unnoticed by Holland, Alex, and Hap, who had just sat down as Talho finished with Eureka.

"No one let her sleep tonight. We might lose her for a month, this time."

"Hey! That's not funny, Hap."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Linck!" Linck had indeed yelled with egg in his mouth, sending bits of food flying onto Maurice's face. But the rest of the company laughed.

One by one the rest of the Gekko made it down to breakfast, each one asking Eureka if she was doing alright. Again and again Eureka assured them that she was better than good. Everyone took their time eating, as Eureka was bombarded with the goings on of the last two year, the stories of each individual member of the Gekko, and intermediate requests for more food – sometimes all at once.

It was nearly 1:00pm when everyone had eaten, shared their news, and the dishes had be put away. Eureka had barely spoken two sentences during the whole time. It wasn't surprising; even Renton new that "that" part of Eureka would never change. She was the type to take in everything calmly and seriously, determined to understand and respect everyone she listened to, even if she barely knew them. Renton thought to himself 'that may be one of the things I love most'.

Finally, Eureka began to speak. "I'm so glad to hear everyone's doing so well."

"Mama, what's wrong?" Maeter was the first to notice the tears welling up in her mama's eyes, despite her wide smile.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm so glad to hear that life went on–that everyone has found some measure of happiness in these two years–I'm just so sorry I missed it."

There was silence for a moment. It wasn't till that moment that anyone, save Renton, had considered Eureka's side of the story. For her, presumably, the last two years had passed in a blink of an eye. . .and yet, everything– everyone –was different.

"Puh. C'mon already," it's never surprising that a man so in love with music would be the one to break the silence. Matthieu never liked silence, "I know change is hard, but it's not bad is it? I mean, everything may seem hectic now, but look– you already have a new home, new family, and your down here making breakfast like all this craziness never happened."

Eureka's eyes allowed for another tear to fall, but she wiped it away, and looked up. "Thank you, everyone. I am happy."

"Which reminds me," Moondoggie was cushioning against the wall, while Gidget rested her back against him, "didn't we decide to say something? You know, to Renton and Eureka?"

"That's right, Moondoggie. Good memory!" Gidget snuggled even closer to her human pillow.

Renton was sitting next to Holland and Talho, when the latter pushed him up and toward Eureka. "C'mon, get over there so we can see you."

Now Renton and Eureka were standing side by side, and all eyes were on them. Axel was sitting in the corner, eyeing the Gekko members suspiciously, wondering what this was all about.

Then, in a tumultuous roar, "WE'RE SORRY ! ! !" Every room in the head was bowed, and Renton and Eureka nearly fell back onto the kitchen stools.

Holland spoke, "We're all sorry that you kids had to go through everything you did. It's not fair, and we promise to do everything we can from this point forward so that you won't ever have to fight again."

Renton was stunned, his brain seemingly unable to function. Finally, he was able to look over to Eureka, who was equally stunned – but her brain seemed to be bursting with the inner-working of someone who is thinking so hard about so many things, that they might burst at any moment.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Eureka had clenched her fist, closed her eyes, and yelled in defiance. "IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. IT'S ALL MY FAULT, EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT!"

Renton reached for Eureka's hand and said over Eureka's sobs, "Eureka, stop, that's not it–"

Eureka ripped her hand away, and turned with watery eyes toward Renton, looking him fiercely in the eyes. "It is! It is true! I'm the reason all this happened. I know," she looked back and forth from the Gekko and Renton. "I know you'll all say that I didn't ask to be a Coralian, or that Dewey, or the Coralians themselves are to blame. But. . .BUT THAT DOESN'T HIDE THE FACT THAT I'VE DONE TERRIBLE THINGS ! ! !"

Eureka couldn't help but look toward the kids. "To them I– I. . ." She looked back to Renton, "And the pain– to you–" Eureka's words and sobs could no longer be heard. Renton had pulled her into his arms. She was locked between his chest and arms with Renton's mouth speaking directly into her ear.

"Don't say such sad things. Don't misunderstand. Don't be sad." Eureka was still crying, trying to form words in protest of Renton's comforting presence. 'Please, stop. . .I don't deserve to be comforted.'

"It's like you said before. The scars we bear, and the trials we've been through – they aren't bad things."

Eureka began to remember. She thought back to Renton's blood dripping down upon her face. He had saved her from the men who had wanted to kill her – kill her because she was a monster. But Renton had said it didn't matter. He had loved her because of who and what she was, not despite of it. And she had hated herself. She had told Nirvash that she was sorry – so sorry for saying that she never loved Renton.

And still, Renton had forgiven her. And he had tried to make feel better by destroying the Gekko's mirrors, so that she wouldn't have to look at her scars. But that time, he had been wrong. She loved he scars. 'Because the were proof. . .proof that I–'

"They aren't a bad thing at all, Eureka; because they're proof that we all love you."

"It's true." Renton had let Eueka go, so that she could look toward the Gekko – toward Holland who had voiced what they were all thinking. "You're our family too, Eureka."

Note: Sorry for the late update, Christmas is a crazy time of the year :)

I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.