Hour Of Darkness

CH 27 - "Hope For Tomorrow"

27...Hope For Tomorrow...

It wasn't an easy thing to watch Jonathon insert the long needle into the base of Alec's skull and inject the solution that would extinguish Alec's life once and for all. But as the fluid in the syringe disappeared, she felt a peace come over her. Not relief. She no longer feared Alec. But peace of mind that Alec was finally free. That he would finally be with his family and feel their love, and understand at last that the lies Orlando had tormented him with were just that – lies.

She watched Jonathon lay him down in the grave and fold his arms across his chest. His eyes were closed, his face relaxed. He looked peaceful. Tears filled her eyes. He looked exactly like Aaron, and yet he had something all his own as well. Had they all grown up together, she knew she would have been able to tell them apart with ease.

Jonathon came to her and slid his arm around her shoulders as they looked down at Alec's peaceful form. There were tears in Jonathon's eyes also. “He spoke to me.” He whispered thickly. He looked at Clarice with his beautiful, unique eyes. “Just before I...injected the solution.” A tear broke free and slid down his face. “He said...You did it, Johnny, you saved her.”

Clarice leaned against Jonathon and cried softly. “How did he still know I ever needed to be saved?” She looked up at him. “After you made the jump...weren't you the only one who remembered what had happened the first time? How did he know?”

Jonathon shrugged. “I don't know.” He said quietly. “Maybe...where I come from...our minds function differently. I don't know. I never knew my home.” His strange eyes grew distant. “I don't even know how I got here, or where my home is. My life, as far as I knew, began in Victor's lab.” He lowered his gaze to Clarice. “But it doesn't matter anymore, because my life is with you now.”

“Everyone should know where they came from.”

Jonathon and Clarice turned quickly at the new voice. Leland stood a few feet away. “Uncle Lee.” Jonathon breathed then went to him and hugged him. Leland hugged him back fiercely.

“It's good to see you in such good health, Johnny.” Leland smiled.

“Victor said that you were...”

Leland shrugged. “Never underestimate the value of a good old fashioned bullet proof vest.” He rubbed his chest and winced. “But even so, those bullets pack one hell of a punch.”

“Well it's good to know you're still in one piece.” Jonathon grinned. He turned to Clarice and held out his hand. She came to him and he slipped his arm around her shoulder. “Clarice...meet Uncle Lee.”

Leland took Clarice's hand and smiled warmly. “The lady of the hour.” He kissed her hand lightly. “It's a pleasure and an honor.”

“And for me.” She smiled and stepped up, hugging him. “Thank you.” She whispered in his ear. “For everything you tried to do for Alec. And all you've done for Jonathon, and me.” She kissed his cheek and stepped back. “You are forever a part of our family.”

“Family?” Leland raised one eyebrow.

Jonathon slid his arms around Clarice's waist and flattened his hands on her stomach. “Family.” He nodded.

“Yeah?” Leland smiled big, then he laughed and stepped forward, hugging both of them at once.

That evening, after dinner, as the three of them sat in the living room before a warm fire, Clarice looked up from her cup of hot cider. “What did you mean?” She asked Leland softly. “When you said everyone should know where they came from?”

The older man smiled and looked at Jonathon. “Victor led you to believe that he had created you from an alternate source of your same genetic material. That your life literally began with him.” Leland shook his head slowly. “But that was a lie. The original source was your mother.”

Jonathon frowned, his body tensing. “My mother?” He whispered. “I had...a mother?”

“I don't know where she came from.” Leland admitted. “Or how they got her in their possession...but when they brought her in, she was dying.” A sadness filled his eyes. “I only saw her once while she was still alive. She was...” He smiled with tears in his eyes as he looked at Jonathon. “Beautiful. I held her hand as she slipped away.” The tears swelled and slipped free. “In my mind I heard her voice whisper to me...please take care of my son...he's all alone now.”

Clarice's throat tightened as her tears flowed freely. “She was pregnant?” She whispered unsteadily. “With...Jonathon?” She looked at Jonathon. He gazed distantly at the fire, his face wet with tears.

Leland nodded slowly. “In the last moments of her life.” He told Jonathon softly. “Her only concern was that you would be cared for. And I promised her...that I would take care of you.” he wiped his eyes. “And I tried my best.”

Jonathon looked at him the way a son looks at the father he adores. “You made good your promise.” He whispered thickly. “You were my lifeline. If it hadn't been for you...who knows what Victor would have turned me into.”

“He could've never turned you into something bad.” Leland said. “You come from too good of stock.”

Clarice gazed at the older man. “You loved her.”

The older man smiled. “I did.” He admitted softly. “Like I've never loved another woman.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around Jonathon. “It's amazing.” She whispered. “How far love will travel...just to find a home.”

Leland smiled and leaned back in his chair as Jonathon kissed Clarice on the lips. “Indeed.” He murmured and sipped at his cider.

______________________________

Laying in one another's arms that first night after the nightmare was finally over, a new kind of peace settled over Jonathon and Clarice. The future no longer seemed so uncertain and frightening. But as Clarice lay close to Jonathon's warm body, still damp from their love making, she asked him quietly, “Are there others still out there?”

“Others?”

“Like my mom.” She whispered. “Women who were inseminated. Are there more out there like Alec?”

A silence hung over them for a long moment before Jonathon said softly, “I don't know. I suppose there must be.”

“Do you think it's really over?” She asked. “Or will others eventually come after us?”

He pulled her closer and hugged her tight. “It's over.” He assured. “Victor was the driving force behind the project. The higher powers were already systematically shutting it all down. Victor was the only one trying to keep it going.”

“What do you think will happen to the other ones out there?” She wondered. “What kind of abilities will they have?” Her voice lowered as she huddled closer. “How will they use them?”

Jonathon stared at the dark ceiling. “I think it will be a case by case situation. Like everyone else, there will be the good...and the bad.”

A low sigh escaped her and she pressed her face against his chest, listened to his heart beating. It didn't sound any different than her own. But she supposed all hearts sounded the same when they beat with love.

“What do you think became of Bob?” She asked suddenly, quietly. “Do you think a hired killer can really turn over a new leaf?”

“Well, he changed his name to Bob.” Jonathon smiled and looked down at her. “That was a start.”

She met his eyes. The gold flecks glowed in the dark of the bedroom. “Changed his name?”

“Seriously, baby.” He stroked his fingers through her hair. “Did he really look like a Bob to you?”