Secrets of the Starnik
Chapter 15: Never Goodbye
Cleaned up, spoken to softly and calmed down, it was finally the day that Aria was to go home, and for once, Myka didn't want her to leave. For once, she was seeing with clarity. She had been behaving like a pup; she was not being a grown she-wolf like she should be. She had to grow up, she had to get used to sharing her father now, and she was happy to do that now, she wanted nothing more then to be with her sister. She was expecting her first pups; she was going to have to set an example, not a bad one. They left that clearing last night after their powers returned, Aria in a bucket of heaps for her actions that night. It would always be clear to her that she had taken a life that night, but at least she was a part of the family in the term that she had taken a life. Stephanie left in her own direction, travelling back home to live out her former life and job and Charlie returned to her Wiccan practises. "Let bygones be bygones" was the last thing they shared before they all parted ways.
It was a hard night for Aria, but with her father there to comfort her as well as her sister who apologised for all her actions before that night, she started to calm down and understand that just because she took one life, she saved many more. "One for the many" as her sister told her.
It was the same night that Lupa could return to the temple of the Dire Wolves. Immediately she was bowed to the moment she faded into their space in the sanctum. Faolan was not far away, and he was quick to run into her and catch her, never to let her go again. "I missed you so much." He deeply inhaled her scent, god he missed it so much."
"I missed you too." They pulled apart and shared a deep kiss, a loving, passionate kiss.
"They're gone?" He asked while keeping her tight in his grip. She smiled ad nodded.
"It's over, they're never coming back." He kissed her again, finally their dream was coming true, a safe life for their children. Speaking of which… "Where are the kids?" She asked. She chuckled and moved out her way just as Shane and Kodak came running through giggling and snickering with Sarah and Natali not far behind him, playing some game of tag or something. Not only that, surprisingly, Faolan's, no longer disappointed, dad came trotting through as well and joining in with the game. Seeing his grandsons brought him into a new light, opened his eyes, he couldn't be disappointed with his son anymore, not when he gave him his bouncing grandsons which he always wanted some day. Maybe not from a descendant of the Starnik, but he certainly had no issues if they were birthed from the great and powerful Earth Angel. If anything he was now honoured. They returned home, Faolan and his family no longer enemies of the pack, but a member of it.
The rest of the family all slept in the same den that night, wanting to comfort each other on the close shave and to help Aria understand. But eventually, all good things have to come to an end and there's also the small bad thing in-between that must happen. It was morning now, and Aria grinned widely as she slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the den. She was refreshed, as were everyone else around, washed and ready to say their goodbyes. Firstly, Lupa. "Come back to visit soon." She hugged her deeply. "None of us can wait to see you again." She then gestured to the pups.
"Of course." Next in line, Dakota.
"Same thing, come back soon, we can go to more places." He wasn't much of the hugging type, but Aria wasn't having any of it and pulled her tightly against her. Beside him, chance sat and hugged her of her own free will happily.
"Thanks for setting me on fire." Aria giggled.
"You're welcome; I'll do it again anytime." Chance giggled with her as she moved on to Rosie who leapt up into her chest before she could do anything.
"Be safe, and don't be afraid to come around anytime you want. We might need you're help again at some point" She winked.
"Oh you can keep that life; I want to stay out of it. I don't want any part of it." Rosie licked her cheek tenderly before hopping down. This wolf didn't need to say her goodbyes, she was going with her. But first, Myka need to get some things off her chest.
"I'll admit, I never did like you when you first came."
"Myka…" Aria laughed, not wanting to go over this again.
"Just…hear me out." Did she have a choice? "I'm sorry for everything I did and said. I take it all back, you're my sister and I forgot the most important thing about this family, that we love and look out for each of them. I didn't do that and I'm sorry I did. I love you." Aria knelt down and the two hugged it out.
"You're my sister; I have no choice but to forgive you." She giggled with her. And as they pulled away, Myka pushed something towards her across the floor.
"This is for you." It was a pebble, but why?
"Gosh, thanks, I always wanted a rock." She replied sarcastically. Myka only laughed.
"I think you know what it really is." Myka winked. It took a moment, but finally Aria's jaw slowly dropped as she stared at the rock.
"For me?" She gasped.
"Now you can come and visit us anytime you want without paying for flights." She pulled her into a second hug.
"Thank you so much, I'll keep it on me forever." She mumbled through burying her face into her neck fur. After a moment, they finally pulled away and Aria collected her bag and with her sister approached her father.
"When you're ready kiddo."
"You're coming too?" She questioned as she took a hold of her hand.
"I need to talk to your mom, settle some things between us." She nodded and looked back towards the rest of the family as Myka grazed her side against her leg.
"See you soon." She waved and with that, she smacked the rock against her palm and they snapped and flashed away, flying through the bright portal that was Myka's teleportation rock. It faded, and the three of them fell and landed on something soft, giggling away, all three of them. It was a bed, a double bed in the middle of a large, tidy and clean room.
"Huh? Where are we?" Myka wondered as she sat up.
"It's my bedroom." Aria answered. "It worked." She pushed herself off the bed and started looking around the room. She couldn't believe it, the rock actually worked; she had a life long way of going anywhere she wanted!
"This is your room? Man, you bed is so much softer then my old one." She complained as she prodded the mattress that sunk in as she did. The bed she had back in the days when she lived in the apartment with Tony, Karl and Lexi wasn't this soft.
"Aria?" Someone called out. Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open and a woman stood with wide and frantic eyes. All she just heard was a sudden, thud of something upstairs in her daughter's bedroom. So either she was home without her knowing or the house was being robbed, hence why she had a baseball bat in her hand.
"Mum!" She threw her bag to the side and catapulted herself into her mother who opened her arms to her. Scott slid off the end of the bed and Myka sat up straighter at the unknown human, whereas Scott knew full well who she was.
"Aria, I didn't know you were home, your grandpa was going to come and get you from the…"
"I found him mum." The woman looked up and met gazes with Scott. Aria found this moment to let her go.
"Scott?" She asked.
"Hi Jasmine." He smiled and standing still. She looked behind him at the wolf sat on the bed.
"Baby, why don't you take your friend and show it the house?" She suggested.
"Hey, "it" is her sister." She replied a little hotly but with a smile no less.
"Wait, sister?"
"I'll explain later mum. Come on Myka, let me show you around." Myka nodded, she could sense that the humans needed a talk. She hopped down at followed her out to explore the giant mansion like house they had. Scott began to wish she didn't leave, it was silent in that bedroom for the first few moments, neither one of them saying anything.
"Do…Do you think you could put the bat down?" He asked. She dropped it, a sign that said she was shocked by his presence at least.
"Seven years Scott." She said while shaking her head. "Seven years I don't hear a word from you, and now you're back."
"I'm not staying." He answered and daring to take a step forward towards her. "I've got to get back to my family."
"Aria's you're family now." She took her own step towards him. She was a little frustrated to say the least. But she took a breath and calmed herself. "I take it she told you about her gift?" He grinned ear to ear, and while taking another step forward he replied.
"Yeah, she told me. She got that from me."
"Starnik. Yeah, I know who you are. Her eyes gave it away."
"Her powers are strong; she'll be great some day." He said softly. "She's grown up so quickly."
"Too quickly." She sighed and shaking her head. "It's the real reason why I wanted her to find you."
"She'll be fine, her powers give her multiple lives, when one is over, whether it comes natural or not, she'll live again. She could probably live for a thousand life times."
"So…she'll be ok?" She questioned and taking a step again towards him.
"She'll be fine." She chuckled lightly. Finally, they were standing right opposite each other, nearly in each other's faces. "I don't know how much you know about me." He continued after a moment. "But I have other children, Myka is one of them."
"A wolf?" She tilted her head a little.
"It's complicated." He chuckled. "I'm not the man you once knew, I've been living these least few years as a wolf too, and in that time I've gotten married and had my on daughter. Aria is a new addition to that family, and I want to see her." He then presented to her, hidden all this time behind his back, a bright red rose. "We had a daughter together, I want to see her, I want to be a part of her life and the lives after that. But only if you'll let me." She took it from him, twisted it with her fingers tip and smelt it gently.
"Do I have a choice?" She smiled teasingly.
"I maybe the Starnik, but I don't control people's actions." He chuckled.
"Aria wanted to know who you were for a long time; I think she deserves to have a father in her life after everything we've all been through." He gently wrapped his arms around her as she did around his back.
"Thank you, she can come and see us anytime she wants. You are most welcome as well."
"Maybe, thank you for taking care of her." As they began to pull away, Scott leaned back in and kissed her cheek, making her smile again before they fully moved away.
"Now I can't wait to tell mom this." Myka snickered as she and Aria peeked around the corner. She just made the two adults laugh.
"You, be quiet." Scott joked. Myka zipped her muzzle shut.
"Dad this house is huge, can we move in?" She asked as they began to walk back into the room.
"Oh my god, you should totally come for a sleep over at some point." Aria clapped her hands with excitement.
"I'd love too, hopefully before the pups are born. That is if you say I'm pregnant at least." Myka nodded in complete agreement.
"I know what I sensed, I can't wait for it."
"Is it time to go dad?" Myka then asked and turning to him.
"I think so, we're done here." As Myka padded towards her father, Aria ran at him and jumped into him. He laughed once again, happy he had her as well as Myka.
"I'll come by soon dad, I promise."
"I'll hold you to that." He replied and kissing her forehead as they separated.
"Jazz, I'm home!" Some elderly voice called out from downstairs right after a door slammed shut.
"Crap, that's my dad. You better go." Jasmine whispered and pulling Aria back a few steps and keeping her hands on her shoulders.
"Why, he still doesn't like me?" He chuckled.
"Duh! He never liked you before, and he hated you even more after you left me pregnant. Now get out of here." His smile faded, he thought she was joking. What an understatement.
"Bye guys!" Aria waved as Myka began to speak her transportation spell. The footsteps approached the bedroom door, and right as the old man was about to step around and into the room, Scott was relieve to be consumed in green light and taken home before the old man even saw him. He dreaded to think what would happen if he stayed.
So Aria, a normal girl in the eyes of many, but in her blood, a rare and powerful gift lies. The power to manipulate fire, self heal, sense new life and live short but multiple lives, the power of the Phoenix. Also, passed down by her father, the power of Telekinesis, the same power of her sister, and the art of Telepathy. She lived a life outside the Starnik prophecy, until a certain Spirit Guide came to her in her dreams to bring her into their lives. She saved them from evil; she delivered her sister from jealousy, and now she lives her life away from their prophecy. Sure, it's in her blood to be a part of it, but it was in her heart to not be. The Starnik went down in history as some of the greatest beings to ever walk the earth, as did their children and their children's children until the Starnik bloodline vanished, never to be seen again. Aria however, was never mentioned at all, never in one story of the great Starnik was she mentioned. Only a select few knew of her existence, and those that did died with that secret.
For hundreds of years, nobody ever knew of Aria and what she did, even after she lived for fifty life times, nobody ever knew her. The Starnik, yes, but Aria, no. The reason…she was the great Secret of the Starnik.