The next day Elena, Loquia, Stephanie and Bessie returned from shopping. Elena had more bags than she could count. She was exhausted. Why don't you two come over for a late lunch. I realize we took a bit more time at our last stop."

"I think I'm good but if Loquia wants to, it'll give me a chance to put all this stuff away." She said struggling with bags and boxes.

"...I'd like that." Loquia spoke.

Elena was happy she was warming up to Bessie. "Ok. I'll see you in a bit sweety. She freed her arm and gave her a hug and a kiss. They helped her with the rest of their bags and she went home. She stopped and sat down on the bench for a few minutes and wiped her brow. "I think I need a nap after today."

She sighed. "There's never a hero around when you need one." She joked to herself.

She got the door opened and headed to the kitchen table, getting as many of them on it as she could.

"Elena?"

"Hey love! You should've seen Loquia in the stores. She was so cute. We told her she could pick out any clothes she wanted and, well, she went a little nuts. And I'm talking color wise. Then we went to the toy store and let's just say, she has a love for stuffed animals. She was sooo adorable." She heard foot steps from behind her. She turned and saw Sportacus. She gave him a kiss. "It's hot in here. Must be from all the shopping."

"Did you leave stuff in the stores?" He asked but there was something missing in his voice.

She turned back to him and saw an older elf behind him. Her face became serious. She was picking up something that was troubling him. "No."

"No?" Sportacus furrowed his brows.

"This is about Loquia, isn't it? He's going to take her away!" Her eyes filled with tears.

"Elena!" He stood in front of her and put gently put his hands on her shoulders. "Let's hear what he has to say."

"It's not good." She cried. "I can feel it."

"It seems dear Elena has some empathic abilities."

Sportacus looked back at Elder Matrik. "You mean it's true?"

"I won't let her go."

Sportacus, for the time being, had to be the voice of reason. He faced Elena. "Let's hear what he has to say. We need the whole picture." He wiped the tears away.

"It won't make a difference."

"Let's go into the living room and sit."

"An activity not rarely seen of you, íþrótta álf ur inn."

Sportacus didn't respond.

The elder sat down. He observed Sportacus and Elena and how close they were. They were also very strong. "I guess there is no beating around the bush, I believe is the term. Sportacus made me aware of what you would like to attempt. To purge some of Loquia's more distressing memories. This can be done, but it will take time. If we take away memories, they can be triggered by almost anything. We need to reform her old memories. Reshape them so it's more natural. A part of her."

"Will it hurt her at all?" He asked.

"No. But, as I said, it will take time. Everyone has been told the full story about the black elf and about little Loquia. The whole matter has been laid to rest." He straightened up. "We found her clan, the dark elves. They are a small clan and keep to themselves."

Elena held Sportacus tight. She knew what was coming. "No. They can't. We saved her."

"They have a right to claim her. She may have family."

"Over a hundred years? Why didnt they look for her? If they loved her they would have." She put her head in her hands, comforted by Sportacus. "We love her! She loves us!"

Sportacus rubbed her back and noticed she was hot. "Are you alright?" He brought her upright. He felt her head. "You're pale and burning up!"

"I'm just upset. Please don't take her...don't- I feel sick." Her chest had veins spidering from where the crystal had originally entered her chest.

"Elena!" She slumped in his arms. He lay her back on the couch.

The elder came over and placed his hand on her head. "There is magic from the crystal. We must get her to the village. And Loquia as well."

"But why is this happening? I destroyed the crystal."

"It's residual magic. Like a virus when you catch a cold. We need to perform the ritual on her. It will protect her from any magic that seeks to place it's hand on each of us. Magic that does not belong."

"Will she be alright? She won't die will she?"

"I will take her back home. You meet us with Loquia. Time is of the essence."

"You haven't answered me."

"She will be fine."

Sportacus leaned over Elena. "You're going to be fine. We will see you soon."

"Please don't let them take our little girl."

"I won't." He kissed her and stepped aside.

Elder Matrik placed his hand on her arm, his staff started to glow and they vanished.

Sportacus slid open his arm band and summoned his airship then he ran over to Bessie's to get Loquia. He explained to Bessie that Elena was sick but she will be alright. And that they would get back as quickly as they could.

While in the airship Loquia sat on Sportacus's lap for the ride, holding two soft brown monkeys. One was Loquia's and the other was Elena's, that she insisted on bringing. Sportacus was showing her some special scenery on the way there. He put the airship on autopilot and they got out of the fly pod.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Great! I make dinner a bit differently than mommy. I'm going to make you a Sportacus club special!" He hit the button on the wall with his foot and the opaque doors revealed all sorts of sports equipment. He took out a couple of tennis rackets, ping pong paddles, a jump rope and a bat.

"Table!" The table extended. "Why don't you stand over here." He moved her by the door. Then he flipped and diced peppers using the tennis rackets, hand sprung to the jump rope and cut cucumbers with it, while jumping rope, spun around and grabbed the ping pong paddles, slicing lettuce. All of which landed on a couple pieces of toasted bread. And he finished with a jump to the baseball bat where he hit an apple against the walls where it broke into two pieces on either side of each sandwich.

Her eyes were wide with amazement. "Again! Again!" She jumped

"Maybe later." He laughed. "Right now, we're going to have a picnic." He brought out a blanket and they sat down.

"Why do you have this airship?"

"This was my home."

"You lived here?" She asked.

"Yes, for a long time. Now I come here to exercise because I live with two wonderful girls." He tapped her nose.

"Will mommy be ok?"

"Yes. She's going to be fine."

"What happened to her?"

Sportacus inhaled and chose his words carefully. He didn't want her to think it was her fault. "She got sick. And the elves have to do something to protect her from getting sick again." He looked at her for a moment. He wondered if she realized where they were going or if she would remember the village. He decided not to alarm her so he said nothing to draw attention to it.

They finally arrived and he landed the airship in the open field behind his parents house. "Door!" The door opened, he picked up Loquia, still holding the monkeys, and hopped out. He shared with Loquia the smells and sounds he loved as he picked a couple of peaches off his favorite tree. He set Loquia down, handed her a peach and they walked to the house. His father came out and gave his son a big bear hug.

"I am so proud of you, son."

"Thank you."

"And this must be Loquia!" She grabbed Sportacus's hand and shyly stood behind him. "It's ok. I'm his daddy. Uh oh. I think there is something wrong. I think he has something in his ear. Do you wanna see?"

She nodded.

"Dad." He rolled his eyes.

"You'll have to come out here to see it."

"It's ok." Sportacus assured. She stood in front of Sportacus and watched his father.

"Hmm. I think I can see something." He began struggling to pull something out of his ear. And being very silly about it. "Got it!" And he pulled a banana out of Sportacus's ear. "A banana?" He exclaimed. She smiled and he handed it to her.

"Daddy, you had a banana in your ear!"

His father shot a surprised look at him. "Daddy?" Sportacus gave him an I'll tell you later, look. "Well, I guess that makes me your poppy."

"Poppy?"

"Your grandad. I'm his dad, that makes me your granddad. I like the sound of that." He smiled.

"Where's mom and Leanna?"

"They are with Elena. They decided to stay with her until you arrived."

"That was very nice of them."

"Can we go see mommy now?"

"Yes, I think so." Sportacus answered. As they started on their way Sportacus whispered one question to his father. "You know, you've been pulling bananas out of my ears since I was her age. How?"

"Always carry a banana." He said leading the way.

Sportacus smiled and shook his head.

At the guardians temple they were greeted by Elder Matrik.

"How is she?"

"Responding well. Your mother and sister have kept watch on her. She needs a couple more days before the-" Sportacus cleared his throat and tilted his head towards Loquia. "-ah, infection clears."

"I want to see her."

"Certainly." The elder opened the door. It was a nice room, open with an archway to the outside. It was a warm cream color and lying comfortably on the bed was Elena.

"Mommy!" Loquia ran over and on the bed. Sportacus's mother and sister, surprised, looked at Sportacus.

"We have a lot to talk about." Sportacus told them.

Elena opens her eyes. "Loquia!" She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tight.

"I brought your monkey!"

"Oh, thank you, sweety!" She smiled.

"Is there enough room for me?" Sportacus gave her a hug and a kiss and sat on the other side.

"I feel better already."

Loquia cuddled next to her.

"Daddy had a banana in his ear." She handed it to her.

"A banana? So that's why you didn't hear Bessie scream." She chuckled.

"Poppy did it."

"Poppy?" His mother looked at her husband, who gave an innocent shrug. "The elder said she could be moved tomorrow so, you'll all stay at the house." His mother gave him a hug and a kiss. "I am so proud you're my son."

His sister gave him a hug. "Show off." And she winked at him.

They spent as much time with Elena as they could. Her fever was under control, but she was still tired. They left when she fell asleep.

It was late and Sportacus put Loquia to bed. He stroked her head and smiled. He would feel lost if she were taken away from him. He returned to the family room where everyone was waiting.

"She's very sweet." His mother commented.

"I love her. We both do." He sat down and told them everything that happened after the elder left. "She trusted us enough and started calling us mommy and daddy. And now we find out that she may be taken away from us. We have to find some way to keep her. If it was destiny that brought us together then why does it pull us apart now?"

His father sat next to him with a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Somehow, my son, I don't think destiny is done with you yet."

"Nor do I. It's a mothers instinct."

Later that night Sportacus had a hard time sleeping. He got up and checked on Loquia who was still sound asleep. He went in and kissed her head. He stared at her for a few minutes then left. He was wandering around and found himself in the library. He was glancing at all the books and saw some of his favorite childhood books. He pulled a few out and and flipped through them. He decided to take a few for Loquia.

Then he saw an old box in the corner. It had half a dozen very old books with a leather bindings. He noticed some were recently untied. He sifted through and pulled one out that wasn't untied.

"Those belonged to your great grandfather, Eturnu." His father said quietly.

Sportacus turned quickly. "Aren't you missing a few greats in there?"

"You know what I mean. After Elder Matrik told us what happened, I dug up his old journals. I wanted to, I don't know, get to know him better. He was a traveler. After he got his crystal he went out to save the world in his own way. He saved many before he made his way back here. You should read some. It's good stuff. Very exciting too."

"I think I'll do that. I can't sleep for some reason." With that his father left. The book he was holding slipped out of his hand. He reached back in the box and pulled out a different one. "I suppose it doesn't matter which one I start with." He leaned back in the chair and started reading. He continued reading until he drifted off to sleep.

It was morning and Sportacus was awakening to whispering.

"I don't see it."

"You have to look hard. But tell me right away if you see anything."

He could feel something next to his ear as he stirred.

"I think I see it."

"Ok lemme get it, before it gets away."

Then he felt something on his ear and jolted awake. He focused on his father holding a banana.

"Really? Another banana?"

"No daddy! Look! You had a whole bunch in your ear."

He looked down and saw a basket full of bananas on the floor. "You've been pulling bananas out of my ears while I was sleeping?" He laughed.

"Poppy said there's more when you sleep."

"Of course he did. Good morning." He gave her a hug and a kiss.

"I found her in here looking in your ear. And we found all these bananas."

His sister came in the library. "There you are. I was going to take Loquia on a walk but there's this big balloon in the way." She joked.

"Up in the air, down on the ground, there's no pleasing you." He smiled.

"Would you like to go with your aunt Leanna? I'll still be here."

"Ok."

"Let's go sweety. I'll show you where your daddy used to play." They headed out.

"This is really fascinating stuff." He held up the book then he looked at his father. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For accepting Loquia and Elena."

"We're family."

Later that day Elder Matrik brought Elena to the house. She was looking so much better. Sportacus kissed Elena and sat next to her.

"We should talk." The elder looked serious.

"What is it? Is Elena ok?"

"She fine. She is almost fully recovered. Once the scar clears we can perform the ritual."

"Loquia." Elena spoke up.

"They are coming tomorrow."

"No, no. Please."

"There is nothing I can do, child. They have every right. They want to meet Loquia."

Elena got up and started pacing. "We have to do something. We can't just let them take her."

Sportacus stopped her, sat her down and took her hands. "Elena, I know there has to be something we can do. She is our girl and she is meant to be with us."