Hey, Butterflies! I'm back with Chapter 24! I've decided that I am going to conclude this story after twenty-six chapters and an epilogue as the twenty-seventh chapter. In other words, dear ones, my time with you all is almost over. After this, I do not think I will write another The Secret Saturdays fanfiction. But let's not dwell on that. There is a chapter to be read. Here's Chapter 24: Aftermath

Disclaimer: The Secret Saturdays belongs to Jay Stephens and Cartoon Network.

Trigger Warning: Suicide mentioned.

Keeping my hair brushed over my left eye, I try to act normal around the Saturdays. We are at lunch with Drew, who has finally been able to get some time away from Dr. Beeman and his team. The Saturdays and Drew are talking and catching up on what has happened in the past four months. I try to stay focused and look interested, but my mind is elsewhere. Truthfully, my mind is on my eye. So my powers were stored in my eye? I suppose that makes sense, but I always just thought it was because of a genetic disorder. I was way off, that's for sure. Stupid me had to get my powers taken away because I didn't understand why my eye was green.

Komodo wraps his tail around my leg, and I can tell he is saying something, but without Ningirama's powers, I have no connection with him, and I am unable to understand him. I try to stop the tears before they start, but Drew notices my face getting splotchy. When she asks what's wrong, I reply nothing before I break down crying. Heads start turning in this small Icelandic restaurant as people look to see why I am crying. Oh stars, not now. Not here, not now. I pull my knees into my chest and bury my head in my knees. Drew puts a hand on my shoulder and tells me it's okay. I wish everything were okay, but it's not. Dr. Beeman stole my powers from me, and now he could do stars know what with them. And it's all my fault for not knowing about my green eye.

"Lily, Komodo wants to know what's wrong," I hear Zak say, but his voice seems far away. "He says you're not answering him." I keep crying because I don't know what else to do, and I don't know how to tell the others this. Eventually the tears slow down, but I still leave my head buried in my knees. Drew rubs my back as I calm down, but it doesn't help all that much.

"I'm fine, guys, honestly," I lie. The others definitely don't buy it.

"Lily, I've seen fine before, and you are definitely not it," Doyle remarks. He's right, though. I'm not fine. I feel terrible, guilty. There's a pit in my stomach that grows with every second knowing that Dr. Beeman has my powers and that it's my fault for letting him take them. How could I have been so stupid? J'ai honte de moi-même. How could I have let him do that?

Suddenly, Drew's phone buzzes. She apologizes as she steps out to answer the call. I watch her through the window as she listens to the caller. The call is short, and when she comes back inside, her face is combination of a myriad of emotions.

"Well, do you all want the good news or the bad news first?" We all agree to get the good news first. "I'm no longer working for Arthur." Everyone celebrates for a brief moment; we finally have Drew back! But then Drew tells us that she still has bad news; we all quiet down. "Arthur didn't tell me this directly, but after working with and against him for as many years as I have, I know that he doesn't just give up. He's gotten what he was after." Silence envelopes Drew's words. Dr. Beeman got what he wanted. Does that mean my powers or Mom?

A while later, I am sitting outside the hostel on the steps. The cold air is harsh on my skin, but I like the way it feels. The burning is nice, and it serves as punishment for letting Dr. Beeman take my powers. Wind blows in my face, forcing tears, which then freeze, out of my eyes. I never imagined I would be doing this, punishing myself for losing my powers after such a long struggle to keep those I love safe from both the monster I am-was- the monster I was and from Dr. Beeman's schemes. I never imagined I would be like this. Life has a funny way of punishing those who try to save everyone, and it has a funny way of rewarding those who hurt others the most. Look at Argost, he hurt so many, even before he came to be the celebrity he was. And then look at Mom and Dad. They both tried with all their might to help as many as they could and to save everyone, but now they're both dead. What did my baby sibling ever do that xe should have to die too?

An overwhelming wave of emotions hit me. I feel raw and vulnerable. Pulling my knees into my chest, I curl into a ball. I will not cry, I will not be vulnerable, I will not be weak. I stare out at the perpetual night as snow falls gracefully on the ground. Street lamps light up the road, giving the street the look of something right out of a book. Behind the hostel, there is a sea wall. I can hear the waves crash against the shore before quietly retreating back to where they belong. Perhaps I am like the waves. I try to reach somewhere, I try to be something I'm not, and I end up crashing and failing. Maybe I just need to retreat to where I came from. And I don't mean WeirdWorld or Orono. I mean to the earth. I could freeze out here or I could let the sea take me far away. But the pain that would cause. I can't do that to the Saturdays. I rest my left temple on my knees and try to keep from crying. My long hair falls in front of my eyes. Stars, I really don't want to be here anymore.

Drew finds me outside, but instead of telling me to come inside, she sits down next to me on the steps. We sit in silence for a while. I like the silence; I find it comforting. What is Drew thinking right now? Does she know? Is she okay? I scoot closer to her and take her hand. She doesn't look at me, but a quick squeeze of my hand lets me know she knows I am here.

"Are you okay, Drew?"

"Yeah, Lily, I am." We both stare out into the darkness. "I just feel so lost. I spent four months away from you all without any contact, and so much has changed. You're not Iris, and I'm not Mom. Everyone has changed so much, grown up just a tad too fast." Drew swallows. "I wanted to protect my family from all the pain I've been through and all the pain I know is out there. If I had known my desire to protect you all would hurt you, I wouldn't have done it."I squeeze her hand comfortingly. "And I just found out about Miranda. God, what a world is this." Drew then smoothes my hair. "I'm so sorry, Lily." Then she kisses my forehead and goes back inside.

"I'm so sorry too, Drew."

That's the end of Chapter 24. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope to have Chapter 25 up soon. Thank you all so much for reading. I love you all so much. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review.