I.
Right in the center of a settee armchair was where the disoriented Giant found himself sitting in. Groaning out a breath, the poor man covered his face and rubbed it up and down. Examining his hands he realized that they were flesh again. He made an attempt to stand and balance his new body... somehow, it didn't feel quite right to him. The living room looked oddly familiar in terms of structure but not in it's even odder décor. Breathing a few hard gasps of air, the Giant circled the living room he knew was Hogarth's. Hogarth! They were inside his old home. The Giant could barely believe this was happening and so he giddily ran to and up the stairway. He came now to stand at the beginning of the hall before stopping cold; reality was hitting him hard.
It was 1957. Hogarth was nine-years-old.
The Giant was too late to take the stairs two at a time, if there were in fact more stairs to take, it would have been nice to have just a little more time to prepare for what was waiting up here for him. He walked the narrow space seeing pictures obscured in shadow from apparent night.
Most of these photos the Giant realized were of Hogarth at different stages in his life. Despite the shock of being where he was and when he was, the Giant still admired all the familiar faces. He finally stopped at a room that seemed to have the right aura around it but he hesitated here as well. Gold had sent them to this time... what if she had done more then that incredible feat?
A small, motionless form under some maroon covers made him consider what he was doing. Yes, time travel, human and robot mutation and even rapid cyborg growth and development existed but seeing Hogarth at this tender age still filled the Giant with warm nostalgic wonder.
This feeling of heat somehow travelled from the transmuted robot's heart to his hollowed and otherwise lightless eyes. Without his bright white optics, the Giant was left to wander up to his best friend cautiously. Suddenly the former automaton could understand Hogarth's hope. His body was surging with warmth, love and that magical last emotion he could always turn to for and share with his soulmate. 'Soulmate,' the Giant thought happily. He smiled in fond serenity.
"Hogarth." He spoke aloud, his large male hand touched the boy's shoulder.
"Daddy?" The answering voice was sleepy.
A whisper of cold blew through the Giant's heart but he tried to compose himself.
"No. No, it's me Hogarth. It's..." He trailed off and then said haltingly, "Your protector."
The boy's arm stiffened. "I don't have a protector." he said harshly.
Before he could turn around the Giant rushed to continue, "What do you mean? Of course I'm your protector. Hogarth, it's me." He was so quick and desperate. "Hogarth, please, I am your protector and I know everything about you. I l-..." his fingers fell back a little, feeling defeated.
"You love me?" Hogarth started to look over his shoulder but thought better of it.
"Hogarth," The Giant gave his arm a gentle but firm squeeze.
"Let go!" And just like that, he was under his covers.
"Hogarth..." It took every ounce of will power he had to control himself. "You don't remember me? You don't remember all the times we shared together? Hogarth, please, give me a chance."
"Tell me something only I'd know then." A boy shaped being under the blanket demanded.
The Giant kept his crying quiet, it wasn't unlike Hogarth to tease like this for an answer.
"Your favorite superhero is Superman."
"Wrong! It's Batman..."
The Giant blinked back tears as he tried to keep in spirit with Hogarth's childish game.
"Ha-ha! Just kiddin'. It's Superman." He flopped back down on his side, well hidden.
"Your favorite foods are hamburgers, hotdogs and twinkies."
"So is everyone else's," Two legs shot in the air under the covers, "Next!"
It was getting harder to control his emotions. "Hogarth, I-," the Giant tried reasoning.
"Kay, guess I don't believe you then."
Even at this impish arrogance, this Giant couldn't be mad at him.
"You're my best friend." He spoke gravelly despite his voice being so deep.
"You what-?" A face gingerly poked out from beneath the covers. "You're my what?"
"You're my best friend," the Giant turned away from the dark room. Hogarth couldn't see him and he figured it was for the best. "You're my buddy." he looked up and stared into the white silohuette of a young boy made from the moon and stars outside. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am always going to remember you. You're always going to be my best friend, even if you can't remember me. I love you." Outright sobbing, the man started to leave.
A small hand took his. "Wait," Hogarth said quietly, "I believe you."
The Giant sniffed at this irrational revelation, "How?" he wiped at his eyes, "Why?"
Another hand reached out to pull something out of a box and he felt a light substance touch his hand. "Go on, blow." The Giant settled for dabbing his eyes. "No one's ever called me that. I've never had a friend..." he took the man's hand again. "Not even a best one. I believe you, totally."
"But you don't remember me." They were both children now.
"Even if I don't remember you, I can still get to know you like I did before." Hogarth comforted.
"It wouldn't be the same..." The Giant tried to imagine starting over. "But I guess we could try."
"You're my best friend, right?" A finger flipped the light switch.
"Yes, always." The light went on. Hogarth turned to the Giant in his pajamas.
"Then there's no reason we can't-," he froze as he met his friend's eyes.
The Giant was more confused then shocked. He switched his still red-rimmed gaze to a picture directly beside Hogarth; it was one of a man boading a plane. His own light switch went on and the Giant turned back to look at the boy. "That's your father," he whispered to him respectfully.
"No..." Hogarth shook his head back and forth. "This is a dream. My father's dead."
"I'm sorry." The Giant told him sincerely.
"This is a fantasy." The boy was still stunned. "This isn't real. This is like a forgotten memory..."
" 'Memory?' "
"You look just like my father." Hogarth looked close to tears now.
The Giant reached a hand out for him when it struck him that this wasn't real.
He started to comprehend this at the same time his hand went right through Hogarth.
As their final fantasy began wanning, the young boy went into the arms of the man who showed right through him. The Giant closed his eyes, closed his arms and opened his heart to his destiny.
Maybe there was more to his fate then just saving Rockwell.
"Don't forget me." Hogarth said.
"I won't."
Their images faded from memory.
II. - Reality, early June 2000...
There was one other time Julianne knew of a woman who stood so determinedly looking out a window down at the Rockwell shore. She wheeled herself up to her daugther but the younger woman would not speak to her, Donna Lee kept staring with wet brown eyes out at the water.
"You don't have to tell me, I know I've been a terrible mother. Neglectful, overly strict..."
Julianne sighed. Search parties, an AMBER alert bullentin and an arrest warrent for John Rice. Even if her brother did come back safely from the future, Grandpa Dan was gone. Julie bowed her head in memory of all her old friends: Gord (her Apples) - she smiled briefly - Bethany, her neighbors, all the older people in Rockwell who had died over the years, carrying valuable and important information about the Iron Giant, about history, culture, family and sacred friendships.
"I don't wish your brother any harm, Mother, but he needs to pay for what he's done."
"Your uncle didn't steal those children," Julie argued quietly.
Donna-Lee wrapped the scarf about her neck more tightly. She suddenly did look like she was Trisha out of the 1960's. Julianne told her daughter this, she told her of the extreme lengths she'd gone to get her own daughter, Taylor, back. Trisha was long gone, however. The woman, along with her daughter, Hogarth, Daniel and Robert had all changed names and left town. Julie could recall in one of nearly countless letters Hogarth had sent Daniel and Trisha's fates; Trisha was all wrapped up in trying to reach her daughter who was in a hospital; Where? Hogarth wasn't able to find. Daniel had died in 1998 of a heart attack. When she was finished Julianne looked up at her daughter. The woman met her mother's eyes with a sad understanding, grasping her words.
"You've been through so much, Mom." She said to her. "More than I can ever understand."
Julianne had a steely glint to her blue eyes, "I have a feeling, this isn't over yet dear. I believe we've only just begun with this saga. History... I believe, is going to repeat itself Donna-Lee."
"Oh, Mom."
"Don," Julie used the nickname she had rarely implemented over the years, "I'm serious."
Donna-Lee happened to glance away from her mother's unsually firm stare and was able to spot something outside. Delighted, uncontrollable happy noises popped out of her mouth as the mom of two bounced out of the living room and bounded across the porch to take hold of the person who was standing outside. Julianne was more cautious as she rolled herself gently out on to the pure white planks of her home. She watched as the bubbly blonde knelt down and hugged the short person: Jean? Taylor? When she glanced to the side of her porch, she saw the scattered remains of a purple and silver box - like something on the Sci-Fi channel - littered on the right side near the wooden rail. Donna-Lee and whoever was there now watched curiously as their matronly figure leaned down and scooped a small, silky powder into her fingers. Julianne knew it would fall in cascades to the floor as the wind picked up so she jumped down from her only means of transportation and started collecting what was grainy deep gray inside of her dress.
"What is this, Mother?" Donna-Lee questioned as a new helper joined the determined woman.
"Exactly what Robert told me about, ironstone. We're in a new phase of our story, dear."
" 'Our?' " She refuted.
"Yes, my love, I'm afraid that once you enter into this lifestyle, you enter into it for all time."
The End.
A/N: I will be back next year, January 2013, with a new story to tell. This next story - sadly enough - will end my Iron Giant stories. Unless I come up with something even more awesome in the future. lol! I promise to only write when my passion is at it's peak. This next story will be a brand new surprise and adventure. Spoilers: It's a retelling of the original The Iron Giant. ^_^ :D
Until that time comes, thank you all so much for your support and encouragement!
~ Lavenderpaw ~