CH30

Alexis ran into the house with tears in her eyes. Her dad had yelled at her and she didn't understand why. She didn't think she had done anything wrong. Midas and Maggie had caught up to her easily and were actually running past her. She increased her speed as much as she could. Alexis could hear Midas and Maggie barking their heads off; she hadn't ever heard them sound like that before. Still her dad was mad at her and that only left Midas and Maggie.

As Alexis ran into the house she found Midas and Maggie just inside the door snarling. She was just behind them when she saw two strange men standing there with something big in their hands. Then she saw two more men enter and each of them threw something. The first two started putting something on their heads that looked a lot like what the other two were wearing.

Suddenly there was smoke everywhere. She began coughing and Midas and Maggie had started whimpering. Then Alexis's world disappeared. What the first two men saw was a bear come rushing out of the smoke and crashing into the closest man. He screamed in pain as he pulled the trigger of his weapon, however his weapon was pointed upwards; he emptied his clip into the ceiling as his leg was ripped open and he fell to the floor and started bleeding out.

Alexis the bear left the first man lying on the floor screaming in pain as she jumped for the next man and did the same thing. She had just finished ripping his leg open as he emptied his weapon through all the glass that was the outside wall. Just as that happened she was hit with four barbs that shot a tremendous amount of electricity into her body, knocking her unconscious.

Outside, Rick's bear had just started running when he heard automatic weapons fire inside the house. That was when he let the bear inside him take over this fight. The bear saw the windows of the area that he was running flat out to, desperate to get to Alexis when more windows shattered under weapons fire. As the bear ran through what was left of the glass doors, he ran straight into a hail of bullets, some of which hit his body, however he just ignored them. He ripped open the chest of the first man he came upon with one swipe of his right paw. The electrical charge of the vest he was wearing was nothing more than a tickle to the enraged bear. The next man fell in the same manner, this time from his left paw.

The bear charged for the stairway and launched himself up the stairs straight into a hail of bullets from four more men. The bear paid no attention to the bullets and with one swing ripped open one man's chest while the other paw ripped another man's chest open. The bear, in his desire to run through them to find Alexis, ran too far past those two and he was forced to slow and stop. While he did this, the other two men ejected their clips and slapped in new ones then started to empty their new clips into the bear.

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxXXXXxxxxXXXXXxxXxxxxxxXxXxxxxxXxxXXx

Kate was driving away with her foot on the floor as her hunk of junk screamed in protest. Her heart was pounding in her chest; she could almost literally taste her fear and could feel the tears running down her face as the voice in the back of her head was screaming, 'Faster, faster!' Suddenly Kate started feeling like something was hitting her and it was a familiar feeling. It was just that it didn't hurt nearly as much as she thought it would. She was being hit by weapons fire, round after round after round. It actually forced her to lose control of her car as she careened off the road narrowly missing slamming into a ditch. She took her seat belt off and stepped out of the car. The car was stuck and she knew she wasn't going to be able to free it, so she started running. The only problem was it was miles to Rick's house; Kate kept crying all the way.

'Please let me take over. For our love of Rick, please let me take over!' the voice in the back of her head was screaming at her in a voice that sounded just as scared as she was. "Please, just save them, please!?" Kate squeezed her eyes closed and suddenly she felt entirely different. She couldn't describe the feeling exactly. She felt big and powerful, more powerful than she ever had before. She could also feel that every muscle in her body was working as hard as they could.

Why did it feel like she was going up and down? Kate opened her eyes a tiny bit."WHAT THE HELL!?" She was flying and gaining altitude. How the hell was she flying? She turned her head just a little though she found that she couldn't turn it very far. Something or someone was stopping her. Still it was just enough for her to see a really large wing off to her side, and it was PURPLE! Was it really connected to her? Kate felt like she still had arms and legs, but where the hell did the wing come from?

Her head was pointed forward and Rick's house was coming into view very quickly; she was coming in from a side. Her eyesight was perfect, better than she had ever had before. Her lungs were huge and she was really breathing heavily. She saw clearly that a small bear was being carried out of Rick's front door by two men with a third right behind them.

"ALEXIS! NO THEY CAN'T HAVE HER!" Kate was sure she was screaming but all that came out was a roar. She watched as she flew in, gliding really, and landed on the car the three men were headed for. Somehow she knew she had flattened it like a pancake. She saw a huge claw reach out and grab one of the men that was carrying Alexis. The hand was huge and it had massive claws. She didn't even feel the electrical charge that the vest gave off. She literally cut him in half with her claws just as she saw the third guy suddenly getting closer and closer to her face when suddenly it felt like he was in her mouth being bitten in two. She could taste his blood in her mouth and it felt like triumph. Kate felt like she was really going to be able to save Alexis.

The other man who had Alexis started firing his weapon and Kate didn't feel a thing which her mind told her was impossible. Her vest stood no chance of stopping those rounds. Kate watched a large hand with large claws reach out and grab him cutting him in half. She had done it, she had saved Alexis! Kate watched a large hand reach out and with tender care scooped up a small bear off the concrete and held her tightly and tenderly.

It was at this time that her head turned abruptly and she saw a car come flying up the drive. As it got closer she saw a man stick his head out the passenger window and start firing his weapon. Once again Kate felt nothing. It was likely at least a few of the rounds were hitting her but she felt absolutely nothing. Kate did, however, feel her head lift up as her lungs expanded then her head came down and she watched as a mass of flame erupted in a stream that enveloped the car.

When the fire dissipated all Kate saw was a burnt out hulk of what used to be a car. She couldn't even see the skeletons of the men inside. She found herself running as she leapt up into the air and was soon flying again. She felt her muscles working hard as she sucked in large breaths and then let them out.

Still she had hold of Alexis and in her mind that was what counted.

XXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxXXXxxxxXXXXxxxxXXXxx

Rick had just finished killing the last of the men, however he was hurting. His bear was hurting as he raced up the stairs with only one thing on his mind. FIND ALEXIS! There was movement just outside the front door that got his attention so he raced out the front door, his fur dripping blood behind him. He stepped outside just in time to see a huge shape running and take off flying.

"A DRAGON? A FUCKING DRAGON? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE SHITTING ME! AND IT'S PURPLE!" Both the bear and the man within it just stood there far too shocked to move. "I thought dragons were legends, myth, or fantasy." Rick's mind just couldn't register what he was seeing. It wasn't just any purple either, it was a kind of translucent purple, a pale amethyst. Like it was lit up from the inside. No visible bones, or muscles, or organs. Just purple! "AND IT'S GOT ALEXIS! That got his bear moving. He chased the flying dragon as it flew out into his little valley and then beyond.

Rick knew he was moving, his muscles were screaming at him as he huffed and snorted all the way, not realizing that he was bleeding heavily. He was just reaching the end of his valley and would be into his woods soon, except he was slowing down. He was tiring. "NO! Can't stop, CAN'T STOP!" Rick knew he was still running, but he was slowing and he was beginning to feel pain, so much pain.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXXXXxxxxxxXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXxxxX

Kate wanted to know that Alexis was okay and soon found herself slowing and landing in a small clearing, breaking several trees as she did. Snapped them like tooth picks, like they were nothing. She watched as the large hand with large claws ever so carefully put Alexis the bear down on the ground. The next thing Kate knew she was naked. She walked over to Alexis the bear and wrapped her arms around her and cried.

Alexis was a little bigger than she thought. She wasn't sure she believed Alexis could shift into a bear like Rick did. Yet here she was with Alexis in her arms; she was most definitely a bear and was unconscious. "Alexis sweetie can you wake up for me? Please? I need to know that you're alright. Please Alexis, wake up for me." Kate kissed her fur. "I love you, please wake up." Kate buried her face into Alexis's fur and let her tears fall. Her heart was wide open and would shatter to bits if Alexis wasn't alright. Kate lifted her head as she heard something. It was getting closer and it sounded like trees were breaking as someone was running. Soon a very large bear came into view, however there was just one problem as it got closer. It was bleeding a lot.

Rick and his bear weren't paying attention to the smaller trees that were in their way. Still each tree they hit hurt a lot and caused his bear to grunt in pain at each one. He could smell Alexis was near which had him running harder, drawing on his last reserves. He could also smell Kate which made no sense. Kate was in her patrol car headed for his father's kingdom. When he got close enough though, he could see a naked Kate with her arms around a small bear. 'Rick, baby?' She thought it looked like him but it had been a while since she had seen him as a bear. He walked up slowly to both of them since it looked like combat was over. 'How is she?" He needed to know she was okay too. "I don't know, she won't wake up for me. Rick, babe, you're bleeding really badly." Kate reached out a hand and stroked an incredibly large bear snout.

'Let me fix him. Just trust me and let me fix him,' the voice in the back of her head begged her. 'Please, we saved Alexis; let me save our life mate,' the voice pleaded. Kate sat there and watched Rick nuzzle Alexis with his snout as she also saw the pool of blood below his body getting bigger. He was bleeding to death, she knew it. 'FINE!' And she relaxed, squeezed her eyes closed, and felt herself change. 'What the hell?' Rick thought, dazed, as he watched Kate leave Alexis and step away. Then in almost the blink of an eye, she was a purple dragon. 'Stand still baby, let me fix you.'

'Never say fix to a bear Kate,' he told her. 'Shut-up and let me help you,' she replied, not the least bit amused. Kate watched as a large hand, her hand, reached out and a large claw delicately touched areas that looked terrible on him. Rick couldn't believe it. Kate was a freaking dragon! A purple dragon no less. But where her really large claw touched him he instantly felt better. "Daddy?" a small voice spoke up which got both of them to look at Alexis who was now a naked 6-year-old little girl.

'This is the best I can do. He needs to rest,' the voice inside her head told her as suddenly Kate felt herself shrink for lack of a better word. Before, she could actually see over the trees, now she would be lucky to see over a shrub.

"Alexis, sweetie!" Kate had never been so happy as she got down and pulled Alexis into her. "Kate?" Alexis wasn't sure since just a second ago she hadn't looked like Kate. "Yes, my darling girl, it's me and I would never hurt you, ever." She kissed her head."Your father is here too." Kate reached out to stroke Rick's snout, who had tears running down his fur. "You're a monster, too?" Alexis asked, which had Kate suck in a breath as her heart ached fiercely. "No sweetie, you're not a monster. Neither is your father and neither am I. We love you, both of us."

"I'm a monster," Alexis stated, her voice a monotone. Kate wept, her tears running down her face. "No Alexis, I promise you you're not. You're a perfect little girl who happens to also be a bear. Hey, look at me. I'm a dragon. Have you ever seen a dragon before?" Kate squeezed her tighter and watched as Rick sat on his ass and opened his arms. Kate knew just what those arms could do, so she got up, lifted Alexis, and placed her in Rick's arms. She watched Alexis's small frame literally disappear in his furry embrace.

'How do you feel babe?' She didn't mean his wounds. 'My heart is broken. My little girl thinks she's a monster,' Rick answered her question, echoing how Kate was feeling. Somehow Alexis remembered what Meredith, her own mother, had called her. All these years she had carried that around inside her and never said a word. "We need to get home and decide what to do," she told him. Kate was leaning with her back up against Rick's arms that were still around Alexis as they watched a large bird that came gliding in and changed into a naked woman.

"My name is Hayley Blue. We were sent to warn you that Paladin was attacking you and your family. Except that what they wanted to do was capture you, for what purpose we don't know. The person who sent us has a theory, but that's all it is, theory. Your house is clear of enemies at this time. We believe that all of them are dead. You will have to decide for yourselves if it is safe enough for you to stay there after this."

"It is a great pleasure to meet a Wyvern. Our kind was certain your kind was extinct. I am delighted to be proved wrong. We will keep your secret to ourselves, we will not even tell the person who sent us," Hayley swore to them. "Who sent you?" Kate asked since she was presently the only one who could talk. "Her name is Serena. Like Paladin is an organization to kill all of us, we have an organization to prevent it. She is our leader."

"We eliminated the miniature planes that we believe were meant to crash into your house and flood the place with some form of gas. Likely meant to incapacitate you so you could be captured," Haley explained. 'Midas, Maggie?' Rick asked. "What about the dogs?" Kate passed on the question. "They were affected by the gas, we have rendered them unconscious and healed them of any damage. They should be fine, though they will likely feel some of the aftereffects of the gas for several hours," Hayley informed them. "You are free to go home or somewhere else. We will inform Serena that you have survived the attempted capture." Then Haley began running, turning into a red-tailed hawk in mid-step, and flew away. "WAIT! How do we contact this Serena?" Kate yelled after her but she didn't return. She sighed and went back to resting up against Rick.

It was 30 minutes later. "How is Alexis?" Kate was still concerned for her. Alexis believed she was a monster. "You should have talked to her long before this Rick. I can't imagine her walking around all this time thinking that she was a monster." Kate wasn't angry, hell she wasn't sure she would have done any better. But if Alexis had found out from her father that she wasn't a monster they wouldn't have this problem. 'I screwed up, I get it. I'm sorry. I just never thought she would remember something from when she was a year old. I mean who remembers being one?' Rick said wearily. "Let's go home babe. We need to clean up this mess and decide what to do in case they come back again," she said and waited for him to release Alexis.

'So you're a real dragon?' Rick questioned her. "It appears that I am. Maybe I'm the one that's a monster," she remarked still somewhat horrified at what had happened to her. 'We are shifters, not monsters,' the voice in the back of her head told her. 'You're not a monster Kate. Any more than I am or Alexis is,' he said adamantly, upset that she didn't realize how powerful and beautiful her dragon was.

'Why didn't you tell me you were a shifter?' he asked her as he released Alexis so they could look at her. "Because I didn't know I was one! It's never happened before," she snapped. 'You've never heard the dragon inside you?' Rick didn't see how that was even possible as he displayed a naked little girl who was sleeping peacefully. "You mean the voice in the back of my head? I truly thought I was developing a split personality, that I was losing my mind and going mad," Kate informed him. 'When did the voice start?' Rick queried. "Right after Dad died actually," she said as she bent down to check Alexis, her heart still aching for the girl. "She's just asleep."

'Kate, babe, you realize the only way you are a shifter is if one or more of your parents are too. Shifters are born that way, it's not a disease.' He didn't mean to shock her to her core but he just had. "WHAT!?" Kate just stared at Rick who was still a bear and looked a touch better. "Mom, Dad, or both are like me!?" How was that possible? She had never even guessed that her parents were dragons.

"Have you seen more like me?" she questioned. 'Dragons are extinct Kate. Have been for centuries or longer. That's why dragons are myth or part of fantasy stories. Their power makes for great writing,' Rick told her and nosed Alexis to get her to wake up. That got Kate down on the ground. "Come on sweetie can you wake up for me? Please Alexis," she begged as she sat naked on the ground, ignoring the sticks and rocks poking her in the ass as she drew Alexis close to her. "Come on Alexis, you're safe."

Alexis started to blink her eyes and looked up to see a woman holding her. It felt nice, safe. "Mom?" Alexis questioned 'til Kate came into view. "Hi Kate." Kate overlooked the mom part for now. "Hi sweetie. You had your father and I scared to death. Feeling better?" she questioned and watched her nod. Alexis turned her head and saw the face of a huge bear that had wet eyes and a wet face with dried red spots all over.

"Daddy?" Alexis reached up a tentative hand to touch his nose. "Your father can't talk while he's a bear sweetheart," Kate told her. "Why are you still a bear Rick?" This would be so much simpler if he was a human. Then it occurred to her that he would be naked too. 'I can't heal myself in human form, only in bear form,' he said to her. That certainly explained why he was looking a little better. "Oh, I…we should go home I suppose. We can talk about what we're going to do while we walk," Kate suggested. "Come on sweetie, how about you ride on your father while we walk home?" She got up, brushing the stuff off her butt. "Okay, up you go. Grab hold of his fur so you don't fall off," she instructed her.

"Why are we monsters?" Alexis asked as Rick walked on all fours, Alexis had essentially laid down and had her hands full of fur. "Oh, Alexis, we're not monsters. The real monsters are the people who can't accept us. You're not a monster, sweet girl. You never were and still aren't a monster. Your father loves you and I love you," she told her but didn't see her smile. Kate feared it was going to take time to get Alexis to accept that she wasn't a monster. How had she remembered what her own mother thought of her? And just what kind of mother was Meredith anyway? Alexis was her child that she had given birth to.

'If I have children will they be dragons?' she asked the voice in her head. 'Most likely. Dragon genes would be dominant, however it is possible that they could be a Kodiak bear,' the voice replied.