Note: Parts in this chapter refer to my fanfic 'Oh Sister Where Art Thou?'

Chapter Twenty

Pouring out my heart

Back at the baseball field, Angela and Diablo continued to talk.

Both had been talking for a long time and they had told stories of their pasts.

Diablo had spoken more about his human life back in Wisconsin and how after Monalisa had vanished that he felt that a part of him had disappeared like she did.

"Monalisa was more than just my sister, she was my best friend, I could speak to her more confidently about my troubles than to my parents, she was there for me when I had problems with bullies, homework, and other issues, she never judged, she listened, and she always supported me…"

Diablo felt his voice break as he spoke of his sister.

"I always thought Mona would be with me forever…but when she left…. I felt my world had been torn apart…"

A few tears erupted in his eyes.

"For so long I never knew what happened, and I dabbled in drink, drugs and violence, and I took my anger out on my friends, and family, I fucked up my human life, then when Jake and I went to New York to find closure…we found her again….and I learned of the life she was living….and she never thought to let us know…."

The tears then began to fall, and Diablo stood up and began to walk about.

Angela sat still and watched him.

"She was living with mutants in New York, found a new family, she replaced me and Jake! And she never bothered to tell me of where she was!" Diablo spoke in a broken voice.

Angela said nothing as she watched the mutant Raven pace around before her, it shocked her seeing him act so high and strong before then him crumble into a sad and grieving wreck.

He looked nothing like the merciless vigilante who attacked those Neo Nazis and the mugger he had saved her from, and nothing like the mutant she was frightened of in the caves back at the falls.

"I was so angry, angry at her, but I still love her, despite all that happened, I still love her, I will never stop loving her! I offered her the chance to join me, but she refused…."

"I'm so sorry." Angela said, "It must hurt so much."

"More than anything!" Diablo growled "Worse than any pain I have experienced! Realising my sister was alive…and living amongst mutants and having a new family!"

Angela looked down and as she thought more about Diablo's situation, she tried to imagine what the Raven had felt seeing his sister had been alive all the time as a mutant and was with a new family.

She started to wonder what she would have felt if it had happened to Nigel, but it was difficult as she wasn't sure what she would feel, in a way it was difficult to imagine those feelings if one hadn't experienced the same thing.

Diablo looked up and wiped his eyes then turned to Angela.

"I suppose Nigel was special to you, like Monalisa was to me."

Angela nodded.

"Nigel and I, our relationship wasn't that much different to you and Monalisa, Nigel was my best friend, and I felt I could talk to him more than I could to our parents."

Diablo sat down to listen.

"I used to tell him all my problems and he would just sit and listen, and he would hug me, and wipe my tears and tell me that he would be there to look after me, no matter what."

Angela took another breath.

"When he left to fight in the war, I never imagined that when I saw him off from our doorstep it would be the last time, I saw him…."

Flashback

Angela looked at her brother as he stood in his American Air Force uniform about to leave for duty.

Part of her felt proud of her hero brother, but she also felt sad as he would be gone for a few months, and she was scared for him and wondered how she would cope without him around.

She watched her father and mother hug him and say how proud they were of him and how they would miss him.

"Be safe Nigel." Said her mother.

"I'm so proud of you son!" her father said as he shook Nigel's hand "Go and save the world!"

"I'll do my best dad!" Nigel said, then he looked at Angela who looked back at him with tearful eyes.

"Awwww, come here squirt!" he said holding out his arms and Angela instantly ran into them, and she felt him squeeze her close.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

"Sadly yes." Nigel said, "It's my duty to do my bit for America, and for you!" he hugged her tightly.

Angela gripped him hard then she felt Nigel pick her up and they walked out the door to the front yard.

"Come on kiddo." He said, "Let's sit out here for a bit together huh?"

Angela looked over Nigel's shoulders as she was carried outside and saw her parents looking tearful but smiling and proud and they stood at the doorway and watched the siblings go outside.

Nigel carried Angela outside and they sat on the grass facing the street.

"I'm going to miss it here." He said, "But not as much as I'll miss you little sis!"

Angela looked at Nigel.

"I wish you didn't have to go." She spoke.

"I know." Nigel replied, "But that's life, I have a duty and when your country says you must go, you go."

Angela sighed sadly.

"Listen kid, I'll make sure I message you every day, and we'll speak online as much as we can! I'll just be on the other side whenever you need me!"

Angela looked at her brother.

"Promise?" she asked.

"I swear!" Nigel smiled and held up his pinkie to which Angela did the same and they linked them.

"I'll always have you with me kiddo!" Nigel winked "You're my best friend! And when I'm doing my duty for my country, I will have you in my mind!"

Angela smiled weakly but it faded again as the tears fell.

"I still wish you didn't have to go." She said, "How will I get through the days without you? How will I know where to turn? Do I have enough courage or strength to get where I need to be on my own?"

"You will!" Nigel promised "You may not think it now, but you are braver than you think you are! Remember in the Winnie the Pooh stories we read together when you were little? You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think!"

Angela chuckled.

"Yeah, I remember, but that was just a bedtime story." She spoke.

"It's more than just a bedtime story squirt!" Nigel replied looking into Angela's eyes "It's a powerful message and an inspiring motto to live by, you can be anything you wish to be, and you can achieve so much, you just need to believe it!"

Nigel stroked Angela's cheek.

"Look Angie." He said, "I know you're feeling sad because I have to go, but I want you to remember something important, okay?"

Angela nodded.

"I'm listening Nigel." She spoke.

It doesn't matter what path or road you choose little sis!" Nigel said "You can be anything you wish to be! One day you will find your destiny, and maybe when you least expect it! Keep soaring high kid! Heaven's the limit!"

Angela looked at her brother and she felt a surge of strength as well as a light in her soul despite her sadness.

"Okay Nigel." She said, "I'll try!"

Nigel smiled.

"Atta girl!" he said and flicked her chin "I love you so much!"

"I love you too big brother!" Angela said and she hugged him close "I love you more than anything!"

End Flashback

"…. those were the last moments I had with Nigel before he left for war….and I never saw him again." Angela ended.

Diablo sighed.

"I'm so sorry Angela." He said and he placed his taloned hand on Angela's.

Angela looked down at Diablo's hand on hers, yet she didn't pull away from him.

"What about you and Monalisa?" she asked, "When did you last see her?"

Diablo sighed.

"It was when my brother and I saw her off at the airport when she left for her gap year." He said "I never imagined it would be the last time I saw her…"

Flashback

Callum, Jake and their parents stood in the airport lobby watching Monalisa as she prepared to leave for her gap year.

"Mum, dad, Jake, Callum." The pretty young lady with long wavy dark hair spoke as she looked at her parents and younger brothers "Thanks so much for being there for me and believing in me! I'm going to miss you so much!"

"We'll miss you too sis!" Jake said.

"But I know you'll always be with me!" Monalisa said as she touched a golden locket around her neck "I have you all right here!"

Callum recognised the locket as one he and Jake had clubbed together to buy for Monalisa and she had put a couple of small photos of herself with her parents and of her and her brothers together.

Monalisa then turned to Callum.

"Listen Little Brother." She said, "I know it'll be hard, but I'll keep in touch, and I'll be home before you know it!"

"But I'm gonna miss you so much!" Callum said in a broken voice.

"I know." Monalisa said then she pulled a gold ring off her finger then placed it in Callum's palm before closing his fingers around it.

"Listen, why don't you look after this for me? Just until I get back?"

Callum opened his palm and looked at the ring, it was a simple gold band, but he recognised it as a precious heirloom of their grandmother.

"I will!" he said fervently "I promise!" he looked at Jake who was squeezing his shoulder "We'll both take good care of it!"

End Flashback

Diablo lowered his head.

"If only I had known…." He lamented "If only I had known it was to be the last time, I saw Monalisa…"

Angela moved her hand and clasped Diablo's.

"I'm so sorry." She said, "We both lost someone we lost someone we loved so much, and we wish we could have done more to cherish the last moments we had with them."

Diablo nodded.

"No matter what I have done." He said "and what I continue to do, I wish every day I could get Monalisa to join me, but she choose to stay behind…"

Angela opened her mouth to speak but she soon saw behind Diablo smoke rising from a few buildings ahead and an orange/red glow igniting the sky.

"What on earth?" she asked.

Diablo looked behind him and he too saw the same thing.

"What?" he asked.

Angela's eyes widened as she analysed the smoke and glow.

"OH MY GOD!" she cried.

So Diablo and Angela have spoken of their last moments with their siblings and Diablo has shown his sensitive and vulnerable side, and Angela is feeling less fear of Diablo.

But now something has caught their eye! Something bad...what could it be? Can you guess?