EPILOGUE

"Come on Maria. It's like you're not even trying."

"Sorry if it's been years since I've trained with you."

"Shouldn't change much."

Maria gave a sly smile as she looked up to Eli who was staring down at her. He had her pinned to the ground, palms in hand so she couldn't use her powers. It's how they'd always be at some point in their training those so many years before.

"Doesn't change the situation," she said as suddenly Eli's hands were pushed off of hers by a strong stream of water. He flew backwards from the force and stared wide-eyed. "But people change and you'd never even realize that."

"How, when did you learn to create it?"

"I didn't." She looked down to her hands. "Before Mighty pulled me out of that mechanism, I think I absorbed what little power I could. It gave me the ability I have now." She smiled down and went to give him a hand up. "Life just works weird like that ya know? If Mighty hadn't saved me at that exact moment, I could've died either way. One from the lack of physical stability, or two, from far too much energy and power."

"Mighty's a good guy Maria. You don't meet people like that everyday." He smiled and looked down at her.

She smiled and looked up.

"I met you didn't I?"

"Hey Eli! Come on!" They heard a voice yell and Maria's smile turned into a small frown.

"I can't believe you're leaving."

"You can't can ya?" He said it in the tone that said 'are you stupid? You did it the exact same way. At least I'm telling you about it.' They started to walk towards the front of the house from the backyard where they were training.

"Don't even Eli. I admit it. It was stupid. It was wrong. I'm an idiot. Does that make you feel better?"

"I was never lookin' for it Maria. I know you never meant the action."

"Yeah. But I still feel like an asshole."

"Tends to be that way I guess."

"So where are you goin'?"

"Back home. Neamiah and Natashia wanna get back, start a life of their own. I got work to do. Lindsey is still in the hospital but just coming out of her coma."

Maria's eyes widened. She had almost completely forgotten about Lindsey.

"Oh." She looked down and stared at her feet.

"It's alright. You know the first thing she asked when she woke up?" He looked down to her confused gaze and continued looking back up. "She asked where you were. She asked where her savior was."

They had reached the front yard and Maria just stopped at those words. Eli continued on to say his goodbyes to everyone before boarding the ship.

When Maria regained her thought, she walked up next to Mighty. He wrapped his arm around her and Eli came up in front of him and looked at him with a slight smile on his face.

"You watch her for me? Lord knows she deserves a life."

Maria smiled shyly then looked to Mighty who just looked up to Eli.

"Will do. I'll never let her outta my sight."

"Kinda hard to do that with such precious gems huh?" Eli smiled even more then bent down and gave Maria one last hug. "Stay outta trouble kid."

"I'm not a kid anymore Eli. You know that."

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't." He shrugged and turned towards the ship boarding ramp where Amy and Misty were standing playing with something. "We'll look after them. Amy said that she wanted you to be happy by yourself. Also said that I need the company more than you." He gave a slight chuckle and looked back to Maria. "I don't know where she would get such an absurd idea like that."

Maria smiled sheepishly then looked over to Amy one last time.

"I know you will Eli. You're the best thing that ever happened to those girls."

"Yeah. Well, I think family is better than an imitation."

"Hmm. It probably is."

Eli gave one last smirk then turned and walked to the ramp.

"Well guys. It's been fun but we gotta get headin' our way back. We got a long way to go."

They all said their own goodbyes and then, just like that, they were off.

Maria was frowning some as they took off. She just watched intently until the shuttle faded into the sky and disappeared completely.

"You gonna be all right?" Mighty looked to her and she just smiled.

"Yeah. I'm great. Everything's…gonna be great." With that, they turned and went into the house, where for the future as far as she knew, would be.