A Pair of Stars

Bonded as Starlight.

Thank you to everyone who has ever commented or liked/stared my fics. I had a lot a writers block after fic week and you all really helped me get back into writing. Thank you to everyone in the discord severs who has encouraged me, and thank you all for reading. This chapter was so much fun to write once. I hope you enjoy

It's been a week since Ambar found her biological mom's warning, Luna and Ambar both know the truth. They both know the truth, but actually saying it out loud, actually putting all the pieces together, that is a conversation that hurts too much. There is never a right moment, and as clues get from bad to worse waiting any longer may get one of them killed.

The man in black had definitely been following them. Ambar spots him in the background of all the main spots in their routine. Outside of school, by the rink, even the usual park that all the roller kids hangout at. You would have thought that Luna would also notice, or even Matteo or Simon who seem to always be there when either Luna and Ambar were around, but no, only Ambar seems to be capable of carrying basic brain cells.

Ambar can't tell Matteo about her mother. She hasn't even been able to be truthful with herself. Some part of Ambar pulls her towards wanting to reach out, to finally at least know something. But a greater force keeps her in place, only looking forward and forcing herself to not look back.

Matteo was not speaking to her. She told herself it only bothered her because he still held the USB drive. But if she were to be honest she missed having someone who she could tell everything to and lately Matteo just could not be that person. So she found herself reaching out to Simon and if she was at her lowest even Luna. With Simon, he was a comfortable blanket, with no judgement just a calm listening ear. He didn't try to "help" by giving his own life experiences like Matteo used to or try to "help" with annoying positive comments like Luna did, but instead was open to Ambar breaking down her walls and showing emotion. He did not pity Ambar, or panic when she cried. He was just there, a claiming wave in her chaotic life.

Luna hasn't questioned anything yet, or at least not directly. But they both know the topic is there, forever lingering at every interaction and cross way in which they met. Matteo felt it too, and he was bitter. What could be so important that Luna and Ambar would team up to not tell him?

But Ambar knew, and Luna understood. Ambar swallowed, how could she explain to Luna that a woman was dead, probably because of Sharon and beyond that there was an open thread of an ongoing mystery. And her research only made her anxiety stronger.

The jewelry store was owned by Julio Cardenas, a man who had faint business connections with Sharon in the past. When Ambar had asked Luna about him she had let it slip that he was the creator of her necklace. But this wasn't the only thing she kept slipping out, she also had let it slip that she and Matteo had found a coin that reminded of her, and that she kept having strange dreams about the mansion. And although they were getting along "better" than before, it was obvious that they were both exposing information about everything but the connecting thread. That she was Sol Benson.

"Grandpa! How are you?" Ambar felt herself relax a bit at his hug. She wasn't used to this kind of love. What was it like to have people like him or Simon all around her?

"My darling, I'm doing very well. I'm just enjoying some fresh air. Is there anything you need?"

"I have some questions about Lily and Bernie," she answered sweetly. In her hand was a notebook of research, small enough to tuck away if Sharon came. "But I don't want Sharon to know because it might upset her."

"Of course! I alway thought that you would eventually be interested in your past. You know, I have never understood why Sharon wants to keep everything in the past."