Crow - The Awakening (84 page)

"Oh, yeah. That." He smiled at her, and she smiled and said something he didn't understand. But it sounded pretty. "Okay, this is all very weird," he said, looking around, then back at Moringa. "Nice. But weird. I need to bail, Steven. My boss is going to have a ton of questions for me." He walked away, having trouble not staring at Moringa while he gave her a timid wave. She smiled at him, waving back until he disappeared into the elevator, then walked to Asherah and sat down at her feet, leaning her head on Asherah's knees.

Steven finally sat down and looked at everyone. He would be up and working with Richard now or tending his veggies or in the greenhouse trying to avoid Asherah as he continued his search for his parents. Now he was surrounded by an ever expanding family and most of them were aliens. They all looked rather battered. Lohet was favoring an arm and looked scraped and bruised. Penipe also had a limp and favored her side and her head was bloodied. The wolfman, "Migalo," Asherah corrected in his mind. He looked at her and she grinned at him, her eyes droopy. "He's a Camdyn," Asherah thought to him. Migalo appeared to have tufts of hair scraped off, and cuts and bruises. Steven looked at Asherah and grabbed a towel that was draped over one of the benches. She looked the worst of all, but likely because he loved her the most of all. He wet it with some water from the cooler and sat down next to her and started dabbing the crusted blood on her fur.

"You are a mess, aren't you?" Steven said as he wet the towel some more and wiped more dust and blood off her. Moringa got up and sat on the other side of her as Penipe moved out of the way and produced a mushroom from her bag. Asherah nibbled on it a little, tired but enjoying the attention she was getting. Moringa offered one to Penipe and she took it and ate it quickly. She was famished.

Lohet looked at her and the rest. "We need to return to our safe house to gather our things," Lohet said. "We'll meet you at your cabin, Sally, and decide on a new base of operations." Sally looked at him and wondered if he ever slept. "Penipe?" Lohet looked at her. She nodded and gave Asherah a kiss. Asherah gazed at her mother as she stood up, thrilled to finally be able to be with her.

Steven noticed that they were wandering off. "Wait." He put the towel down and got up and walked to them. He looked at Penipe. "Show me where you're going." She looked at Lohet then touched Steven. Steven grinned and saw their living room. Lohet looked around, impressed. Steven smiled, happy to be of some use, and watched them as they vanished and he was left on the roof. He stood there for a moment, taking in the fact that he just helped the monsters that had tormented his nightmares throughout his childhood. He still had trouble processing it. But they were real and weren't the monsters his dreams made them out to be.

As he walked back, Sarah looked at him and shook her head. "Okay, you're going to have to explain that to me some time."

"I'd be happy to. When I understand it," Steven said. He stopped by her bench and sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back. "I'm so sorry I've been so much trouble for you two," Steven said. He felt bad for them because he had totally disrupted their lives. "You didn't deserve any of this."

Sarah lifted his chin up. "You make the trouble worth it, Steven." She smiled and Steven relaxed a little bit more. He was finding a new peace after the turmoil of the past few days. He looked over at Sally. "Mom, Dad? Asherah's fading. We should probably go to the cabin and put her to bed."

Sally wiped her eyes and came over and hugged him. "I like the sound of that, Steven." She pulled back and looked around. Asherah was sitting back on their couch and everyone else was looking around, surprised to be in the cabin. Sally looked back at Steven and grinned. "That's going to take some getting used to." Steven nodded, looking at her. If it weren't for Sally and Jonah, he'd swear he was still going out of his mind.

Steven carried Asherah to the bathroom and with the help of Moringa and Sally gave her a complete cleaning. Sally looked at him and smiled, so proud of her son as Steven focused on tending to Asherah. He didn't hesitate to disrobe her and put her in the warm bath water that Sally had run. He found it fleetingly interesting that seeing her body was perfectly natural thanks to the intimacy they already shared. And she looked so much better as the dust and caked blood came off. She smiled weakly as they tended to her.

After the bath, he saw the cuts and scratches better with the dust and caked blood gone, and he tended to those as Sally and Moringa toweled her dry. Moringa helped him deal with the fur as he treated her cuts, holding it out of the way as he applied Sally's healing salves. Fortunately, none of the cuts were deep. Laurence had been more interested in causing pain than maiming her.

After treating her wounds, Steven instinctively rubbed her fur, bringing out fresh oils and restoring the sheen. He had no idea how he knew to do that, but he chalked it up to knowing what Asherah would do thanks to their bond. As he touched her and rubbed her fur, he marveled that he was ministering to an alien, and more so that she was for all intents and purposes his wife. Asherah helped weakly, only half awake.

When they had gotten her dried off and her injuries treated, Sally pulled out one of her bathrobes and got it around her and he carried his sleepy Elf to his room and laid her on the bed. Asherah adjusted herself, getting comfortable and looked up at him, her eyes just barely open. "Sleep, my love," Steven whispered and she closed her eyes as he kissed her gently then walked to the door, turning around to watch her as he felt her falling asleep. It was a strange sensation.

He looked at Sally and Moringa. "You don't have to help me get clean," he grinned as he walked to the bathroom. Moringa didn't understand a word, but smiled and waved at him as he closed the door to the bathroom then she found a corner in Steven's room to curl up and keep watch. Sally shook her head and walked back into the living room to make the rest of her company feel at home and find the spare cots.

"They're wrong, you know."

Steven looked around. He wasn't anywhere. Just complete blackness. "Where are you?"

"We do develop compassion."

Steven squinted, but the darkness was complete. He closed his eyes and tried to see from within, attempting to find the source of the voice. He saw a beach.

"It just takes us thousands of years."

Steven stepped onto it. It was night time where ever he was. A lovely little tropical lagoon stretched out before him. He looked up and saw two moons. They were not big, though. They were either farther out or just smaller. The stars, however, were stunningly brilliant and dense. The planet must be closer to a galactic core. The night time around him was very bright. Shadows were cast from the numerous palm trees that leaned out over the lagoon. He could see fish just under the surface of the water.

"That's why they hate us," the voice came from behind him. Steven turned around and saw a cloaked man. He looked familiar. The moon reflected off his face and Steven finally remembered him. His skin was almost chrome in texture, so reflective that he could see himself as he walked toward the man. His hands jutted out of his sleeves and looked similar. They were a little iridescent in the bright moonlight and starlight.

"You're the Elder," Steven stated as much as asked.

The Elder smiled and nodded. "You are an anomaly, Steven. Asherah was right about you."

"You've been in contact with her?" Steven reached within, looking for Asherah. She was asleep and Steven felt a huge sense of relief.

"Yes. I detected her bond with you from the very beginning." The Elder walked up to him.

"She says you'll fix everything," Steven said. "What does that mean?"

The Elder looked at him for a while. "You will have to experience that answer to comprehend it, Steven."

"I figured you'd say that." Steven looked around. "Am I dreaming or did I really gate here? Can I sleep-gate?"

The Elder smiled. "As a... deviant... you are everywhere, Steven. Wherever you focus on is where your attention will be. The Fracture isn't a place. Nor is it a time. It just is. You are so much more than a gatekeeper, Steven."

"That's a little ambiguous." Steven curled his toes into the sand.

"Yes. It is. That too is something you'll just have to experience to comprehend," the Elder smiled. His eyes appeared to be full of the very stars that were above them.

"Is Asherah safe?" Steven had pondered that since learning more about himself. She almost died because of him. He couldn't bear the possibility of bringing more harm to her.

"Compassion in one so young." The Elder cocked his head, stepped closer to Steven, and gently touched his face. His fingers, however reflective they were, were surprisingly warm. "You truly are an anomaly, Steven. You are impossible."

Steven looked at him.

The Elder smiled. "Your bond makes her a part of you, and you a part of her. Together you are a new creature."

"More ambiguity?" Steven grinned.

"Yes. Most answers must be experienced to be truly understood," the Elder said.

He turned and started walking away. Steven saw that he was gating out of the world they stood on. "Will I see you again?" Steven asked after him.

"Yes," the Elder said as he vanished.

Steven looked around. There was a palm tree that was leaning almost horizontally and Steven hopped up on it and sat down, looking out over the lagoon. Asherah was still asleep. He would have to bring her here someday.

Steven stretched and rolled over. He felt warm breath on his face and opened his eyes. Asherah was laying there, looking back at him. They had slept the day and the next night and now it was morning again. He could smell breakfast and hear chatter out in the living room. Sarah was laughing at something and he heard Migalo grumble. They made it back on their own, Steven thought. He returned his focus on Asherah. "You look so much better."

"Thanks to you." She was still smiling, and winked at him. Steven saw her memory of the bath.

"It didn't even occur to me... well, I had help." Steven blushed, and Asherah giggled and scooted closer to him, running her fingers through his hair. She didn't mind. Steven smiled and embraced her and held her tight, putting his cheek on hers and kissing her ear, feeling content finally. At that moment he was only vaguely aware that he was embracing an alien. To him, it was just Asherah. The girl in the meadow. And the love of his life. He saw another little fold-up bed in their room, with the covers tidily made up. "Moringa slept in here too?" Steven felt Asherah nod.

"Our other house is bigger." Steven nuzzled Asherah's neck. It was so soft and he loved her smell.

"No," Asherah said firmly.

"I'll be okay," Steven said.

"You're not going to talk to Jacob." Asherah was in his thoughts even as they were formulating for him. He could feel her fear of losing him or harm coming to him.

"I am sure I can... convince him," Steven smiled. His new abilities could definitely come in useful. They suddenly seemed so natural to him. How could he have denied it for so long?

"He is dangerous," Asherah said.

"And so am I. After all, I destroyed his base," Steven grinned. Asherah shook her head.

"He is going to have to be addressed sooner or later, Asherah," Steven said. They could not continue living under this umbrella of oppression and always having to look over their shoulders, especially now that they had bigger fish to fry. The Sadari had to be their primary focus now and Jacob and his organization would just get in the way and be a ridiculous distraction.

"Later," Asherah said, squeezing him tighter.

Steven felt a series of waves of intense pleasure wash over him from Asherah, "Ah. Okay. Later," Steven said, breathless, his heart swelling as he embraced his life-mate even tighter. He was too easy.

The call to breakfast finally got them out of bed. Steven ached all over, and could feel Asherah's soreness too. After getting dressed they sleepily made their way to the living area of the cabin and saw that nearly everyone was outside at a large picnic table.

"Steven." Penipe caught up with him before he went out with the others. Asherah looked back but continued walking. It wasn't like she wasn't still with him anyway.

Steven turned and looked at Penipe. He felt a little jolt as he realized that he was looking at an alien. But she was more than just an alien. Steven licked his lips and glanced at Asherah then back at Penipe. She looked concerned and he instinctively put a hand on her arm. "What is it, Penipe?" He was still amazed to be standing there, actually talking to her, touching her. She was real.

"I know you are thinking of doing something dangerous," Penipe said.

"Asherah told you?" Steven looked out at Asherah.

"You'd know it if she did. But I have a link with her and we're bonded as well, you and me." Penipe looked in his eyes as she put her hand on his chest then his cheek. Steven remembered Asherah doing that when they first bonded. "You're my son now as much as she is my daughter and nothing we do or think is secret from each other."

"This is going to take some getting used to." Steven scratched his head.

"That being the case, you must realize something. You are no longer just you anymore. You are you and Asherah. What you do directly affects her." Penipe grabbed his hand and squeezed it as she talked to him.

Steven nodded, not sure where she was going with that.

"You will live and die together, Steven." Penipe stopped for a moment. "When we are bonded, our wills begin to meld. She may not want you to take risks, but will ultimately support you because she is a part of you."

Steven looked at her blankly. Penipe frowned. "That means she is going to ultimately agree with you in cases where she should be strongly disagreeing with you."

Steven looked out at Asherah. She detected his gaze and looked back at him through the glass of the window as she sat down at the outdoor table. His mind was already putting together the ramifications of what Penipe was trying to say, and Asherah looked down, knowing exactly what her mother was trying to communicate to Steven.