Chapter 47-Lost Love and Revelation

Gel was pretty torn apart by Sammy's death. Despite their constant bickering they had grown to become friends; best friends to Sammy's delight, and secretly Gel's as well. Now she would never get to tell him that she loved him, and worse, she'd always know it was her fault he was dead. He had died protecting her.

She looked around at the small gathering of people who cared to attend his burial service and it was few.

In attendance was Salene, Trudy, Amber, Lottie, Darryl and Rayne. Of course Tai-San was there who thought she needed to perform every ceremony given her 'spiritual' nature and Lex was there to 'protect' her.

Gel snorted, none of them really knew Sammy aside from Salene and Lottie. Lex used him for dirty work and Darryl tolerated him just because he too was apart of Lex's 'business' endeavors.

But Gel knew Sammy deeper than the surface. She knew his actual name was Samuel, that his favorite color was orange because it had been his mother's hair color, and that he hated beans and anything that remotely resembled a vegetable, except carrots. He loved carrots, and he loved her.

As Tai-San ended some sort of prayer she was saying she turned to Gel, "Would you like to say a few words?"

Gel's throat constricted with the grief that was radiating from her heart and the new tears that threatened to overtake her. She shook her head no. Instead she knelt by his grave and laid the necklace he had given her on top. Then she placed a kiss on her fingertips that she ran over the fresh mound mixed of sand and dirt.

Lottie came to her side, "Sleep well Samuel," she said taking Gel's hand. The two of them walked away in silence, fresh tears upon their faces.

"Salene will you keep an eye on those two? They're really hurting," Tai-San turned to the red head.

Salene who had been lost in her memories of Mouse and Sammy snapped her head in Tai-San's direction, "She's mourning, not suicidal! Why don't you ask our mighty leader to look after them?" She shot a dirty look in Amber's direction before storming off.

"What was that all about?" Trudy questioned.

Amber rolled her eyes, "Hormones, Trude, just hormones."

~0~

On the other side of the island Niko the medicine man was having a burial ceremony of his own. He hadn't realized he wasn't alone until someone spoke behind him as he set Lani's grave ablaze.

"You truly loved her?"

He jumped, turning to see his fellow Krait members. He was surprised Éowyn was the asker. Why had she even come? She looked at him with hurt and hatred.

"Since she first came to our island," he spoke silently.

She frowned as did Kai, but Blaze said nothing. He just held on tight to his son.

"I guess you'll do anything for love, but why my sister? She considered you a valuable friend."

So this is why she was here, she wanted answers. Answers Niko wasn't sure he could give for he didn't know the answer himself. Lani made him do stupid things. Things he'd never forgive himself for.

"I only thought Charis would miscarry," he risked a look at Keahi, "by the time I realized it was the virus, it was too late to save her."

"So you killed her?" Blaze finally spoke as if Niko hadn't. He of course was talking about Lani, not Charis.

"She was going to kill Tai-San, I had no choice."

"I'm glad she's dead…but you didn't have to burn her."

"But I did Blaze, to stop the spread of the virus through whatever might feed on her rotting corpse."

"I hope she rots in hell," Éowyn said tossing a twig into the fire.

"Are you going to go back to Krait Island?" Kai asked.

"There's nothing left for me there. I killed our leader…betrayed everyone's trust…"

"So then where will you go?"

"Home."

"I don't understand," Éowyn frowned, "you were born on Krait Island."

"I think he means…" Blaze began, but Niko interrupted him.

"The virus is already coursing through me. I'll go out to sea until…"

"But there is a cure," Kai offered, though he could care less if Niko lived or died.

"I don't deserve life! My sins are greater than any of you know. I can only apologize, and hope that someday you might be able to forgive me."

"Death is too good for you, I hope you die slow and painfully!" Éowyn said turning on her heel. He had helped a wicked woman kill her sister. Intentionally or not he was guilty and she couldn't forgive that.

"E wait…c'mon now…" Blaze called after her. He understood Niko. Lani could make you do horrible things once she had you under her love spell. He knew that as well as the medicine man.

"He killed the mother of your child, the true love of your life and you're asking me to forgive him?"

"I…just…he's practically family…"

"He used to be family," Kai corrected him, "if he wants to die, then let him."

Blaze lingered behind with Keahi telling Niko goodbye as the other two marched back to the Fleur Hotel. He caught up to them though after he watched Niko disappear in a lifeboat.

"He's gone."

"Good," Éowyn said with little guilt.

"He left his boat to Keahi," he announced a few minutes later, "He said there's something on board for you as well Éowyn…something from Charis."

She only grumbled in response and they continued in silence, relief, anger, and grief.

~0~

Ebony was walking up the pier when Josh was heading down it and straight toward her. She gripped her son tighter to her and tried to pass him, but he wouldn't let her.

"So we meet again," he smirked at her.

She glared at him, "Mega."

"Please, I prefer Josh."

"And I prefer you dead."

"If we're going to be family, I think we should try and forgive one another."

"And why would I be begging for your forgiveness?"

"There's an angry, confused, and hurting man nursing a drink in the bar where I left him under the supervision of your ex."

Ebony rolled her eyes, "Sounds like your problem, not mine."

"Do you really think you can forget him?"

"If he's out of sight, then he's out of mind. So tell me, how soon can you set sail?"

Josh shook his head. Slade was right, she was a difficult one to get through to. But he could see in her exactly what he saw in his brother, and what he felt for so many years; pain.

"You and I both know it doesn't work that way."

"I don't need a man to validate me. Thunder and I can get by on our own."

"But what about love Ebony?"

"What would you know about love? Everyone knows you had to re-program Tai-San to love you."

He winced. That was true. What did he know about love, except to witness the turmoil it could put someone through?

"I know that Slade loves you."

"If Slade truly loved me he wouldn't be going off on some mission of redemption instead staying here with his son."

"So it's only about Thunder then? If you had never gotten pregnant, Slade would be free to go?"

"I've told Slade he's free to go."

"But you see really he's not because his heart is here."

"But he chose you over us."

"He didn't choose, you chose for him."

"And he confirmed that choice."

"You still didn't answer my question."

Ebony sighed. She had grown weary of this conversation. It was odd holding a conversation with Mega. He was different. He seemed almost…humane.

"Which was?" she asked.

"Your son is the only reason you don't want Slade to go? It has nothing to do with fear?"

When Ebony hesitated to answer they both had their answers. It was a shocking revelation, but this had everything to do with fear.

Ebony was afraid of the love she had for Slade. She had never loved a man as deeply as him. When he walked into her life he opened her eyes to so many things; he taught her how to feel again.

Slade loved Ebony for everything that she was and had been and she didn't know how to handle that. She was afraid to give him all of her so she pushed him away and it was killing them both.

"That's what I thought," Josh declared after too much silence had passed.

"Move out my way," she ordered him as the tears threatened to fall.

He stepped aside and she ran as fast as she could to the cover of the hotel and her lonely room, Thunder bouncing in her grip.