25.

With her red dress and black all stars Zena walked to the couch and let herself fall in it. She took her satchel of her shoulder and took out a book and started writing into it. I noticed her nails were painted in the same color as her eyes: dark green.

'What are you doing?' I asked showing interest

She stopped and slowly looked up. 'Writing in my diary' she said with a isn't that obvious face and started writing again.

'I used to have a diary too when I was a kid but it wasn't really my thing. Writing songs is more for me'

She sighed and closed her book. 'Listen Tom, let's not pretend to like each other alright?'

'What do you mean? We don't even know each other..'

'I've seen enough' she said and raised her eyebrows.

'I know what you saw in the future but I'm not that person any more. Isn't the future changed now?'

'Maybe..' she said not looking at me

'And what about the past? How we fell in love, how happy we were, how we were willing to sacrifice our life for the other. Doesn't that count for anything?'

She looked at me. 'I've learnt that the past is something that has been. It's no longer the present anymore. It's over, finished. Never the same' She said and stood up. But as she walked away a picture fell out of her diary. I picked it up.

It was a woman with straight blond hair and blue eyes. She was smiling.

'Is she your mum?' I asked

'What? Oh.. Yeah she is'

'She's beautiful, are your parents back home with you now?'

'No, I don't know where they are' She said and took the picture over from me.

'What do you mean?'

'The war had been going on for three years when one day Dougie, Danny and I came back from school, we found an empty house. They had taken their stuff and left. They didn't leave a note or said goodbye, they just left us behind. They took everything that was precious to them, that says enough about us doesn't it?' She explained with a fake smile.

'I'm so sorry'

'You know.. I was only 7 at the time. Dougie was 15 and Danny just turned 18. I didn't believe them when they told me. I didn't want to believe. I sat every night by the door, waiting for them to return. But at some point in your life you just got to tell yourself to move on.' She paused for a second to look at me. All this time she was staring at the photo of her mother.

'Danny and Dougie practically raised me.' She then smiled as a memory flashed through her head. 'I still remember how Danny used to wait until I fell asleep to carry me in my bed.'

I smiled too as I pictured the sight. 'But, didn't you see it coming. I mean with your power?'

'A Xi only gets their powers when they turn 8. I was only 7.. They never knew what powers I was going to get and they will never know. I've seen their future, they're happily together living on a strange planet.'

I felt sorry for her and for Dougie. What kind of a parent leaves their children in the middle of a war? 'Danny never told me that' I said

'Yeah, Danny isn't really big on the sharing. Never has been'

'Still..' I said which was followed by a silence. Zena put the picture back in her diary which she put back in her satchel.

'So.. I'm guessing you didn't tell Danny about the future I've seen?' She asked breaking the somewhat awkward silence.

'Err.. No'

'And I'm also guessing you don't want me to tell him right?'

'If you could?' I asked hopeful. 'I mean.. It's all changed now isn't?'

'Danny is like a brother to me and it's not my habit to keep secrets from him but.. Maybe it's for the better if he doesn't know it.'

'Thanks' I said grateful and smiled.

'Yeah.. Do you maybe have a spare room where I can stay tonight?'

'Of course. Follow me' I led her to the spare room which was only next to my bedroom. 'I'm sorry for the junk, I wasn't expecting visitors..'

'That's ok, wasn't expecting on staying either'

We both smiled.

'Well, I'll leave you to settle in' I said and left the room. Didn't really know what to do now. I was having Dougie's little sister in my spare bedroom who just told me a delicate story about her parents. I just can't get it in my head how someone can leave their children behind.. War or no war, it's something you don't do!

I went back to the living room and sat on the windowsill. I rested my head against the glass and looked to the clouded sky. I hope Danny gets there in time. He has to be. Dougie is the only real family Zena has left. It would be unfair if she lost him too. But I know Danny, he'll do anything to stop his best mate from dying on them. He won't rest until Dougie's safe.

I understand Dougie and Danny's relationship a lot better now. They've gone through enough together to have such tight bonds.

'Is it ok if I grab something to eat? I'm a little hungry' I snapped out of my thoughts and realized it was dark outside. It should be really late already.

'Yeah of course! What time is it?' I asked confused

'9 O'clock'

'Really?' I asked amazed while following her to the kitchen. I can't believe I sat there for 5 hours! 'I'm sorry I didn't cook dinner'

'That's ok' she said while taking some yoghurt out of the fridge.

'I still can make you something'

'You don't have to besides I'm not that hungry' she said and smiled. 'Quite a storm isn't it?'

As she said that I noticed the thunder and the raindrops falling on the window.

'It's been going on for hours now. I hope it ends soon' she continued.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that it had started storming. The lightning strike followed with another thunder. Zena stopped eating for a second and looked outside. Her eyes uneasy.

'I'm going to look in Dougie's future later, do you want to come with me?' she suddenly asked.

I hesitated for a moment. 'No.. No, I don't want to see' I said eventually and it was true. I don't want to see Danny fighting again and possibly/most likely get hurt again. I can't helplessly stand by and watch anymore.

'Suite yourself' Zena said and went back to her room.

After sitting alone again for a while and thinking everything through, I changed my mind. I do want to see what's happening over there. I just have to know, the unknowing is killing me.

I ran to the spare room and knocked on the door but it wasn't answered. I knocked again but when that wasn't answered again I decided to go in. I opened the door and found Zena sitting on the bed, staring at the wall.

'Zena?' I asked. I noticed her pupils were so big that there wasn't an iris anymore. I figured she must be in the future. I was just about to leave the room when I found her diary next to her. I had an inner battle but my curiosity got the upper hand and took the book. It was open on the page she just had written.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm actually staying on Earth, the planet I hate.

I just don't like the people here. They're so grey and negative not to mention arrogant, thinking they're the only living intelligent life forms in the universe. Idiots..

Another something I can't believe is that I'm staying with Tom. The one that almost destroyed my Danny. But after talking to him I realized that he's different from all the other people here. He's sweet and caring and if you look in his puppy dog brown eyes, you're sold. I can see why Danny loves him. So scrap all the things I said about him before, I genuinely believe he's no longer the selfish aggressive drunk that I saw. I think I might actually begin to like him.."

I got a smile on my face, I thought she hated me! I put the book back where I found it and quietly left and went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. The storm was closer than ever. The lightning lighted up the room for a couple of seconds every time and the thunder was too loud. It all was finished off by the raindrops that ticked on the window.

Suddenly there was a knocking sound and my door opened. 'Tom?' Zena said between a whisper and a normal voice. 'I'm scared'

It actually amused me how someone with superpowers can be afraid of something so natural as a storm but when the lightning lit up the room again and I saw her terrified green eyes, the amusement disappeared quicker than it came.

'Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep? 'I asked and she nodded.

We went to her room and she crawled back into bed. I told her stories of my childhood. Like how on my 5th birthday I became scared of clowns or the first time I kissed a girl. Eventually, with still a smile on her face, she fell asleep. I waited a little longer to make sure she was fast asleep. Before, I was actually dying to ask her what she saw in Dougie's future but it wasn't the right time.

I looked at the sleeping little girl. Danny and Dougie did an amazing job raising her. She's such a protective, sweet child. I smiled at her and walked to the door.

'Goodnight Zena'

I know it seems like a different concept but in the next chapter the original concept is coming back!
I just had to send Danny away and Zena gave me inspiration so I decided to give her character some more depth

Hope you liked the chapter!

And good luck for those who have exams, I have my final 2 next week but they're not going too well though.. :s