Chapter Twenty One: My Resolve

-Present Day, August 30-

I stared at the phone in Officer Scott's hand and I felt my hands shake as I took the phone from her. Nervously, I held it to my ear and waited as I heard the dial tone. When the call was connected, I felt sick to my stomach.

"Hello?" The inquisitive tone to her voice made me wonder if she was being prank called often. Or maybe she thought that I was a telemarketer. I swallowed the lump in my throat and smiled, knowing that she wouldn't see it.

"Hi Auntie, how have you been?" The startled gasp made me cringe; the last time she saw me was over two months ago. I heard her call to Uncle David and I had a feeling that she put me on the speaker phone.

"Kiara, where are you?" I knew that it was a general question coming from her; after all she wasn't allowed to see me at the hospital due to the confidentiality of the investigation. And I was warned to not answer this particular question by almost everyone.

"I'm safe right now. I've been told that there was a great leeway with the current issue at hand." I think that she knew that I wasn't telling the full truth, but I heard Uncle David sigh in relief.

"Are you coming home soon?" I felt my throat tighten, but I refused to cry because Walter was watching. "Are they going to let you come home?"

"Of course they'll let me come home, but only after they conduct a thorough investigation and mediate the scenario. These things take time, Auntie, you have to be patient." I heard the tears in her voice and I felt my resolve shattering around my ears.

"I want you home, and I want you safe." The floodgates were open, and she was openly crying into the receiver now. I felt a tear slip down my face, trying to keep my face neutral. "I want to hold you again."

"I know that you'll see me again. I'll be home as soon as this is over, I promise." It sounded hollow even to my ears. I knew that there was a high probability that I'd never see them again. But if I didn't try to reassure her, then she would never have accepted the fact that Terri was going home soon without me there.

"I wish I had been more persuasive Kiara." That caught my attention and I knew that Hawkens was listening in on another line to make sure that I didn't say anything that I wasn't supposed to.

"Auntie?"

"I wish that I had convinced you to stay home that night you went to the movies. But I didn't, and you never came home. And now you're still not coming home, and they won't tell us why you had to go into hiding."

Officer Scott tapped her watch and I nodded. This was going to be the hardest part of all; I was never good at saying good-bye. I felt my hands go clammy and Auntie Sheryl sensed that something was wrong.

"Auntie, I have to go now. I just want you to not worry about me, and know that I love you guys." Her tears were renewed and I heard my Uncle comforting her. "Take care of yourselves for me, okay?"

"You take care now, Kiara. And remember to come home to us; you promised." It was my Uncle talking now, and I could hear emotion clearly in his voice. Right before he hung up, I heard Auntie cry out in denial and it shook me to the core.

I handed the phone back to Officer Scott, and I felt the tears stream down my face. Walter placed a hand on my shoulder gently. He handed me a handkerchief and I dabbed at my face, trying to not look like an emotional wreck.

"It was the only way you could protect them." I glanced up at Walter as he took back his handkerchief and led me back to Terri's guest room. "Sometimes, lying to the people you care about is the only way."

"Was I really lying?" Walter hesitated outside the door. "It's only a lie if I don't return home, and I'm one for being a stickler when it comes down to keeping my promises. I'm not running from this Walter."

"I won't tell you to, just understand that this is risky. Sometimes I wonder if it's too risky for someone so young to deal with." He opened the door and I entered to see Sir Integra observing as Sister Blanchett was talking to Terri. Terri laughed at something that was said and I felt a small smile creep on my face.

A/N: Yes, I had to put an emotional chapter into this story. I'm sorry if I made you tear up, oh wait; that was the point of this chapter. If you did tear up, then I did a good job. Rate and Review please!