Previously I left you on a hook. Gaia had awoken from her deep slumber. She sat up feeling pain free and virtually brand new. But I sortta cut out after that.

Yeah. I'm terrible.

But! Here's an additional juicy bit of meat! I hate leaving you all stranded for three months at a time. I know this will probably be another filler. Yet, please understand. My life is BUSY. I absolutely will finish this story within the next year or so, just because y'all are more than deserving...

But writing takes so much time. And thought. I love it! But it takes forever.

Please enjoy the bit that I have. It's not much, but I hope you will like it all the same.

(;

Chapter 19: Glow

Cole's eyes were the color of cold, unforgiving mountain rock; the kind of stone that made up the cascades. Their edges were slightly tinted with indecisive shades of gold. As he stepped down off the stairway into the safe-house, they immediately landed upon his friend Tobias. The younger man didn't turn around in his chair. Instead his forehead was nestled in the crook of his hands. He seemed to be silently mulling over a matter in his mind. Cole's eyes drifted down to the still body on the pallet, prompting a small hint of exasperation. Yes. Purple blue crescents swam under her eyelids, loud on her pinched, pale face. Everything about her just drooped. He clenched the keys in his palm before tossing them onto the nearest table. They didn't connect. Deftly, Tobias' hand shot out and grabbed them from midair. Thoroughly awoken from his contemplation, he straightened up and pursed his lips as his fingers curled over the metal teeth. He gave Cole a disapproving glance, one that said plainly, "Hey, what's your problem?"

Cole opened his mouth to respond, encouraged to reiterate his worry over the time they had wasted, but Tobias turned back to his charge. In a moment the chocolate brown pigment of his eyes would pale and brighten into a furious gold. The same gold light would enrapture his entire body, particularly focusing on his hands. His gift primarily ebbed and flowed through those strong fingers, suffusing itself beneath the skin of the person he touched. With this golden halo of abnormality came stark consequences. Dangerously, he became oblivious to the world around him. His concentration was so inexplicably strong that nothing, not even a knife blade to his sternum, could detract him from his purpose. Tobias gazed up at the ceiling, breathing in so deeply that his entire upper body expanded. Then, he cracked his neck to the right, readying himself for the long duration of sitting still in at his post. Gently, he leaned down and grabbed one of her hands.

Cole shut his mouth angrily. Fine. Patience was his A-game; he would sit back and wait for Tobias to surface once again. He would also actively watch the door and listen for any suspicious activity. This time when Tobias returned? He wasn't going to let him walk away from some serious considerations. Cole needed to move everyone out. They had remained in this space for far too long and it was possible that enemies were but a few miles away, arriving closer to the safe house itself. The risk of being trapped wasn't an issue. Back entrances had been firmly designed in every shelter they had time to construct. However, he knew mere the underbrush that fringed the outskirts of the forest they resided against wasn't enough cover. They needed at least five minutes to make a slip, grab the vehicles, and get back onto the road.

Cole watched him as the room's temperature began to change. Winter's chill receded back into the shadowed corners of the basement and the air around them warmed. It was like they were all sitting in front of a grand hearth. Tobias' back was to Cole, but the older man could picture exactly what was happening. The familiar glow pooled inside Tobias' eyes at first. Then, so fast it was hard to discern the exact beginning; it took over his entire body. The light grew in power until the glare was as bad as the summer sun. As fortune would have it, Cole lingered near the door unaffected. He'd witnessed this process so many times…it was a wonder that his eyes hadn't burned out of their sockets.

Tobias' skin lost its wrinkles and blemishes as his entire body became pristine. It was like he changed into a pure, open vessel; a clear pathway in which all of the energy that transmitted through him could easily slip into those in need. The only expression that Cole could use to explain the things he felt whenever Tobias healed someone, was euphoria. Heaven-like, if you will. He heaved a tired sigh and reached around to grab one of the rickety lawn chairs. It scraped loudly on the floor as he sat back. Tobias didn't falter. He sat back with a sigh, reveling in the odd way his body still seemed to relax and…heal. Tobias wasn't even touching him.

In those first few times, it'd been difficult for him to resist falling into a peaceful stupor. Awakening from it was like rising up from a long sleep, lethargic and clumsy. The only problem was that neither Tobias nor Cole could afford to make such simple mistakes as this; their lives were at stake. Cole needed to be sufficient for action at all times, ready to jump in and beat the living daylights out of their hunters in case they barreled through the doorway. Those few times of awakening utterly disoriented and waiting for the effect to fully wear off left Cole in a huge scare. That could not happen again.

Cole closed his eyes and regrouped his inner self, swiftly building walls against the lure of relaxation. After a few moments of struggle, he felt strong enough to remain lucid. A tiny cry made him open his eyes. It was followed by pained murmurs as he looked up in time to see a tear escape Tobias' eye. It glistened as bold as a diamond, winking gently in the golden light. Cole stared as it left a trail down his friend's cheek.

Tobias had cried a couple of times in the past. It wasn't like the pain he extracted from these people was kid friendly. Yet, the girl arched her back with a strangled yowl. An alien like hiss escaped her lips and she fell back with a thump. She began to shake uncontrollably. Writhing violently on the bed, she clenched her teeth and spoke impalpable gibberish, thrashing her legs out as if to kick something. Hard. Her own tears ran down like miniature rivers on her cheeks.

Memories of the fire's smoke wrapping the large airport popped up in Cole's mind. He remembered the shock he felt as he laid his eyes on the massive destruction. It had been like a hurricane had barreled through the mortar and runways. People were clogging the imaginary entrances, crying out names and running off with their possessions. Out of all the victims, Tobias ran out of the fray holding one girl. Her. She lay limp in his arms. Cole didn't wait to be introduced and grabbed his arm, propelling Tobias even faster to the street where the van was parked.

"How many more are there?" He shouted, yanking the side door open. It retracted with a slam and Tobias jumped in without laying her on the seat. He shut both of them inside, successfully locking out the rest of the world. Cole froze where he stood, completely floored. Tobias couldn't be serious.

"Just her!" Tobias shouted through the glass. "No-one else!"

Cole hesitated and glanced towards the empty seats in the back. He glared at his reflection, spotting red and white lights in the distance.

"Are you sure?" he yelled back. This young man usually collected unknown mutants like lost puppies. Each pile typically came in two's and three's. Tobias opened the window and shouted urgently.

"Yes! Get in and drive!"

A sharp intake of breath made Cole shake himself out of his memories.

She may have been convulsing on her cot, but she didn't tear her hand from Tobias. It was the only part of her that was still. Tobias himself didn't move an inch. Instead, he rubbed one of his thumbs over her wrist, that place of contact somehow glowing even brighter than the rest of him.

Cole considered how remarkable his friend was. The compassion he showed was unworldly and presented in equal doses. This was highlighted immensely within this very moment. Cole clenched a fist.

Mutants, he thought acidly. Us? We are the mutants? Bull crap. This African American isn't a mutant. He is my brother and a man. If only the true monsters of the world would stop and see what he can do. For one rotten minute of your disgusting lives, just stop! Look at him! For the love of God…see him…see him for who he really is.

Gaia shuddered for several long moments. The more she thrashed, the more the Tobias' gift intensified. It grew and grew. For one sheer second, the hairs on the back of Cole's neck rose. Then, after several extreme minutes, the energy in the room began to soften. Gaia didn't stop shaking right away, but she heaved a great sob and stopped thrashing. The blankets half covered Tobias, thrown off by her convulsions. He hadn't moved an inch still, his thumb continuing to massage her wrist.

Two Hours Later

Tobias gazed unwavering down into her face, not watching her but staring straight through her. It was as if he was peering into her heart. One more tear, even more exquisite than the first, slipped slowly down his nose, resting on his lips.

Cole stiffened. Outside, several voices pitched in and out of the atmosphere. They weren't close, but something about their tone hit him with warning. He threw one last glance towards the two in the corner. There was no way in hades he would let either of them perish. Cole stood up, grabbed the keys off the table, and threw on his jacket. With soft, practiced steps he climbed up to above-ground.

Outside, not a spec of the light from Tobias' gift had escaped the tight borders of the door. The world had no idea of what was taking place inside that cramped storm basement. Overhead, swaying confidently on a windswept branch, a raven cawed raucously.

Cole paid it no heed and swiveled his head to take in their surroundings. Within a second, he found what he'd been searching for. Figures. Flitting in and out of the trees to the west. They were about two thousand feet away, unaware of the hut's existence.

But they will be soon.

He ducked back in and hurled himself down to the basement.

XXXX

Grams held her hand dotingly, her old, wrinkled thumb carefully running over Gaia's skin. The gesture was an affectionate one, something that made Gaia smile. As a toddler, Grams demonstrated this very thing when Gaia's world wanted to fall apart. Something that only seemed to happen when her mother refused to believe her sides of the story, favoring the spoiled accusations of her younger brother, while their father sipped another bottle of beer in the background. Yet, Gaia wasn't smiling now. She couldn't raise her eyes to return Grams unwavering gaze.

"My child," Grams whispered. "You've made decisions that you cannot remake. You've been tricked and you have become the trickster. In this life-time, you have participated in evil never meant for you. Yet, you've had evil firstly inflicted upon you and it held no mercy. You were an innocent victim and I could not be there to save you."

Gaia disagreed instantly, finally meeting Grams' eyes as she opened her mouth. Grams held up her hand.

"No. Let me finish. As your grandmother, I was not there for you. As a mother, I was not there for your mom. I hope that my failure does not exceed into your generation and the generations ahead of you. You are strong, dear child. You are strong. And you need to understand that this world was not meant for our people. You will be discriminated against and shoved down to the darkest pits just because of the power you hold and doubly because of the color of your skin. You will doubt. You will flounder. You will make more mistakes. Yet…please remember. I love you. I love you with every fiber of my old being. And I need you to keep trying even if you want to give up. Your life matters. You still have time to show the world exactly who you will become. This country needs change. And it will start with you."

...

(Insert Author Here)

(Me): ..."Hello? Hi. Yes. It's me. I hope you don't want to impale my heart. Would it be too much to ask you to review?

I love the feedback. Trust me."

:)

~MWJ