Chapter 16: Reunion With Danger

Nightshroud/James stopped. "You…how long have you been standing there?"
"Since you arrived." Abigail stepped out into the light and revealed her presence.
James looked up and down her body and could see she had really grown. Her blond hair had grown down to her shoulders, her height had increased by about two inches, and she had filled out in many places.
"You know I always said you were too skinny before." James joked.
She chuckled. "Still the same James. But I think I've filled out a bit. Hell, one morning I woke up and found my bra ripped to shreds because my tits had outgrown them."

He couldn't help but laugh. "God damn you must have some now huh?"
She twirled around, showing off her body. "You betcha."
"This is weird…" James thought. "It feels like we're…picking up where we left off 5-6 years ago…"
"Perhaps you are." Alcor suggested. "Now that you know the truth, the malicious intent no longer exists."
James knew he was right. This girl in front of him was not Lilith. Abigail's love for him was real. Regardless, he was not satisfied.

"Well then…" He started. "I guess we forget all that's happened before huh?"
Abigail looked down at the ground.
"…No." She answered. "It's my fault that you're traumatized by that day. I—"
Just then James rushed up to her and hugged her. She gasped in surprise as he held her close.
"No it's not your fault." James insisted. "You were possessed by an evil spirit, but she's gone now. You are your own person, and you can decide what to do with your life."

Tears ran down her eyes as she hugged him back.

"I'm sorry!" She cried. "I can't help it! I thought I'd never see you again, and I thought if I did you'd hate me!"
"It's something I need to learn myself really." James admitted. "I need to stop holding grudges. It's what doomed many potential friends and me years ago and still today. I still have room for improvement, so don't be so hard on yourself."
"James…" Abigail wrapped her arms around him and hugged back. "Thank you…"

After he broke the hug, he turned to Hanna.

"What's with you?" James asked. "All this time you try to kill me, and once you nearly did, but now you're helping me?"
"James." Hanna stood up and looked in his direction. "I could never kill you. I fought as hard as I did so you wouldn't recognize me. If I went soft on you, you'd probably catch on quick."
He was not convinced. "You impaled me. That should've killed me."
"But it didn't." Hanna said. "Remember I've been watching you for a long time. I knew about your rage energy. I knew it would save you."
"…" James stared at her.
"What?" Hanna asked. "I made sure that the blow would appear fatal but wasn't. Even if your rage did not bubble over, your Solarium would fix you."

He sighed turning back to Abigail. "Fine, whatever. In the meantime, Abigail, where will you go?"

She sighed back. "I don't know. I can't go back home. Too many horrible memories exist there. I think I'll sell the house and find an apartment. After the two murders, I just can't think straight right now. It's not the fact they're dead that shocks me; it's what they've done. My father turned out to be a sex-trafficker and my mother covered for him and ruined many peoples' lives with her lobbying. I was completely ignorant of their actions."
"Let's be fair." James suggested. "You were dealing with Lilith and—"
Suddenly, the door behind them exploded. The trio whipped around and men in riot gear charged into the room.
"Do not leave them alive!" The commander ordered. "Remember they are wanted dead!"

Nightshroud immediately unleashed a shockwave of Solarium, which shorted out all the guns the soldiers were holding.
Abigail quickly charged forward and delivered a tornado kick that knocked the front soldier into the wall, surprising James and Hanna.
Looking to his right, he could see Hanna had already switched to Lana and had blasted the front 5 soldiers into the wall.
James/Nightshroud flew forward and slammed into the remaining soldiers at full force and destroyed the wall. Immediately the basement began to collapse.
"Shit…" James muttered. "Let's get out of here. Oh and by the way, you're staying with me."
"W-what!?" Abigail stammered. "Are you sure?"

The three of them were soon standing above a tall building overlooking the collapsed diner.
"Look, I know things will be awkward for sometime." James admitted. "But what you need right now is company. I'll introduce you to my friends, and we could enroll you in my college."
"W-why would you do that for me?" Abigail started. "I—"
"You've done nothing wrong." He interrupted. "Your life was ruined and you had no control over it. It wouldn't be fair for me to just abandon you with nothing. In fact I owe you
plenty."
"For what?" Abigail asked, confused. "What have I—?"
"You were the first to see me and actually like me." James answered. "You were the first girl who ever liked me in that way. And for that I thank you."
She chuckled. "No...thank you."

"Are we done here?" Hanna spoke. "I think you're forgetting that you have someone already."
James groaned. "I KNOW that god damn it!"
"No, no she's right." Abigail agreed. "I'm thankful for what you're doing for me but you have someone that loves you back already."
"That doesn't mean I can't help the people I still care about." James argued. "Look I get it, but I'm not betraying Pam's trust. I'm just helping you get back on your feet."
"Fair enough." Abigail nodded.

A few hours later…

"Dis is Abigail?" Georgina asked.
"Damn James you knew how to pick em'." George quipped.
James shook his head. "Alright enough of that."
"Nice to meet you Abigail!" Leslie gave her a hug.
"Likewise." Abigail said softly.
Hanna had departed shortly before James and Abigail had gone to the base. Everyone was there to greet her. Everyone was surprisingly welcome towards her and was happy to meet her.

"Pleased to meet you Abigail." Joe greeted. "Welcome to our base."
"Thanks!" She nodded smiling.
At that moment, everyone grew tense.
"James…" Joe started.
"I know." He nodded. "This'll be difficult to explain."
"Explain what?" Pam's voice sounded behind them.
Everyone froze. James whipped around and was greeted with a smack to the face by a vine. He was knocked backwards and was forced to use his Solarium to stop his momentum.

He looked and saw Pamela Isley standing there with her arms crossed.
"So." She walked in front of Abigail and stared intently into her eyes, prompting her to shrink back in fear.
"You're the girl that humiliated James all those years ago?" She questioned. "You don't look like someone who has."
"Long story Pam." James suddenly flew in between the two girls. "I was going to tell you."
"Sure you were." She said crossly. "After you regained your memories of the day you destroyed your own high school because of her, suddenly you invite her back? What the f—"
"ENOUGH!" James suddenly shouted, surprising everyone including Pam.
"I don't want to talk about that day." He said furiously. "And it wasn't Abigail who did this. She was being possessed by another being named Lilith. It was her who tried to destroy me, and Abigail couldn't fight it. I saw real footage of Lilith and her getting destroyed. Abigail's parents were criminals who are responsible for not only worldwide sex-trafficking but for experimenting on their own DAUGHTER!"

He finally stopped to take a breath. James looked around at his friends who were still silent; he looked at Pam who was staring at him in confusion.

"What?" James snapped. "Do I need to play the footage here so you'd all believe me? Fine. Alcor?"
Solarium energy flew to the large screen on the wall and it blared to life. Everyone turned to look and they saw the two Abigails and Hanna with the test tubes.
"Your sister…?" Joe looked at James, who nodded.
They heard Lilith's tirade and her execution as Hanna destroyed her. The video then stopped and James turned to them all.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I'm sorry to you especially Pam. I learned all of this at once and I had trouble processing it. Because Lilith is now dead, Abigail is free for the first time in a long time. Abigail never hurt me, and I trust her. But she understands us. Don't you Abigail?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Pam sighed. "Alright. Perhaps I got a little carried away—"
"Understatement of the fucking year." James muttered.
"No need for that." She shook her head. "Ugh this is insane. So is Abigail part of your team now James?"
"No." He replied.
"No?" Joe asked. "Then why—"
"Is she here?" James finished. "It's temporary. Abigail just had a tough ordeal, so she's going to be staying here for sometime. She's been under major duress for a while so I don't want her to fight or to be involved. I know she's a free thinker and I can't stop her from doing what she thinks is best for herself. But at least for now she just needs rest from the real world."

Leslie nodded. "Fair enough, and hey if need be she can stay with me sometimes too."

"And me!" Georgina added.
Abigail looked at the two girls and gave a small smile. "Thanks."
"Well then." James started. "Now that that's over with, I need to go."
"Where are you going now James?" Pam asked impatiently.
"To see my parents." He answered. "They have a lot of explaining to do."

"Hello James!" His father George Adam Davis greeted.
"Hey dad." The young student walked into his apartment.
"How have you been?" He asked. "I can see you've been busy."
"Please cut that out dad." James folded his arms. "I know you and mom have been hiding something."
"I don't know what you mean." Adam responded.
"I HAVE A SISTER!" James shouted.

His dad stopped and looked at him.

"How long have you known?"
"About a week!" James said angrily. "I've recovered all my memories of that day!"
He sighed. "Come. Sit down."
James sat down across from his father and watched as he pondered for a moment, then spoke.

"Since that day." He started. "We've been heartbroken; all of us. We didn't know how to go on. When the Batman wiped your memories he didn't wipe ours. We specifically asked him not to. In the years that followed we saw you running around trying to live your life but you were so lonely. You became so withdrawn and sad since that day but you yourself didn't understand why. That fateful week had ripped away two people you loved. We could see how much of a toll it still took on you despite having no memory of it. It would eventually strain our marriage Amy and I and we'd split up."

James stayed silent as his father continued.

"Your sister loved you with all her heart." His father said. "You two may argue sometimes and may not agree on everything but she loved you. Every time you were sad she would be sad too and would try to comfort you. Your mother and I know that she would never hurt you."
"Ouch."
"Yeah I know."
"Wait a minute…" James stopped. "You said know. Why in the present tense?"
His father looked at him for a moment, then spoke.
"James." He said. "We knew who you were long before you told us."
"That means…" James's eyes widened. "You two already know that…Hanna is here!?"

"Precisely." Hanna stepped out from behind the door to face him.