A/N:
Natagalan, pero ito na siya! You can sue me and rain me with violent reactions after this. Just as promised, enjoy! 😘😘 Loveya guys!
P.S.: this is set ten or so years after the Of Questions and Photograph chapter, so yea... 😁 (joke pala yung Time War yoqo na lol)
****************
Back in Your Arms (Enzo & Aiane)
*Athena Adrianne
Leaning back against the wall, she took in a sharp breath and pressed herself into the wall some more. She needed to hide, or else she'd be dead meat.
When the footsteps faded away, she went out of the dark and skimpy alley and run as fast and as far away as possible. Her legs are sure weak but she needed to escape from the place, she needed to find a refuge until she's back on her track, until she's in control of her ability again.
Athena's feet are sore, and she's sure as hell that her feet are full of scratches and are bleeding. But she couldn't care less for the time being, she needed to get back. She needed to return home, to her family, to Enzo. She's been there for a long time and who knows how many years had passed at the present time.
By the time she decided to stop and catch her breath, she already reached the end of the cursed place. All she needed to do was to follow the white witch's instructions so she can finally get out of there.
But before she could even start, she felt a sharp pain from behind.
She slowly turned back and came face to face with her abductor, with an evil sneer plastered on her face.
She gasped as the pain intensified, she fell into her knees, her hand trying to reach for the knife stabbed at her back. She felt a tugging feeling, with her final breath she whispered, barely audible, "Enzo..."
******
** Enzo Alexander
He was gazing into nothingness again, his thoughts far away, while sitting by the porch, pretending to watch over his nieces and nephews.
Ezra and Aiden was out working, probably trying to help Zeus at the council or something. While he sat there, babysitting the brats— not that he's actually babysitting them.
It has been twenty years and no Athena appeared in front of his door, not even in his dreams. He's losing it, tomorrow marked her twenty first year of being gone. Twenty one years of waiting, he doesn't even know if he's capable of going for another ten years or so.
It was a surprise for him that he can actually wait that long for someone he loves, but of course, he's no saint. In fact, he's done shitty things in the past and hell he'd paid for every single thing. This must be one of it. But he's will to wait and hold on a little more was already weak, faltering. Crumbling. Like a broken glass shred into tiny specks, leaving nothing behind to fix. He was like a candle, he can already feel himself melting into a puddle of useless wax.
He started to wonder, if what happened to him few years back wasn't enough. If he hasn't paid enough for him to finally get off the hook this time. He wondered if misery was his lifetime reparation, his everyday reprisal for what he did before.
But the divinity's justice system was a thousand times worse than of govenrment's. Way, way worse. He could only feel nothing but remorse, not just to the divine but to himself as well.
It was his fault entirely, he only have himself to blame for the fate they have right now.
A small and painful smile crept into his lips as he closed his eyes and let all of his contemplations dawn on him, when a loud thud interrupted his monologue.
He rose to his feet and walked carefully towards the gate, his stance guarded.
He reached for the handle and pulled it open, he saw nothing until his eyes landed on someone lying on the road, bathing in her own blood.
"Uncle Enzo?" the eldest of the brats called from the inside. "Something wrong?"
Sky, Zeus and Seige's eldest, was already behind him, peeking over his shoulders. "Uncle..." he trailed.
"Yes, I know, come on, let's get her inside." the two rushed over to the bleeding girl, only to froze on their spots when they finally saw who it was.
Sky looked up to meet his equally surprised and confused gaze. "She's ... Uncle, she's ..."
"Kuya? Uncle?" Angel, Zeus' younger sister, called out. She paused by the gate, gaze landing on the lying girl. "Ohmygosh!" she exclaimed. "Uncle, what happened to her?"
Sky shot his sister a stern look and said, "Call Gramps and Papa. Now!"
Dazed, Angel nodded and run back inside.
Enzo crouched down to look at her face clearly. He swallowed the lump slowly forming in his throat as he reached to push back the hair covering her face.
"Athena," Enzo breathlessly called, his eyes already blurry with tears, his heart about to explode with so much emotions he could barely name. Relief. Happiness. Surprised. Confused. Scared. Agitated.
He cradled Athena's almost lifeless and bleeding body into his arms, and brought her inside the house to treat her wounds.
Angel has already changed her Tita Aiane into a fresh clothes, with the former gaping at Aiane's sleeping face like she's seen a ghost from the past. (Well, not anymore.)
The door burst open and came in Zeus, Seige, Senri, Adri and the rest of them inside the room.
"What's the emergen—" Zeus' angry protest hang in mid air when he noticed the body on top of the bed, sleeping peacefully. His eyes widened in recognition. The rest of the new comers gasped in utter surprise, and confusion. "Athena..."
***
He carefully held Athena's hand in his, brushing his thumb against the back of it. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, he just have to make sure she's real, she's really there, and that she was back. He was beyond happy. Athena's back, harmed and wounded, yes, but still alive and fighting.
"Athena, I missed you..." he whispered, hoping she'd hear him and she'd wake up, finally. "I missed you so much."
Athena's hand stirred in his hold, he immediately looked up to meet her beautiful eyes staring back at her with longing and love.
"Enzo..." she whispered inaudibly.
