𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘━︎━︎ J. Proudstar

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:
JUST HOLD ON

"WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?" JOHN asked, looking at Aphrodite who had been laid down on the bed. He reached forwards, brushing the hair from her face. She looked so tired. John was angry. Angry that he hadn't gotten there before they could hurt her. "What did they do to her?"

"I don't know." Clarice admitted. "What I do know is that she watched her sister get murdered. She somehow managed to use her powers even though she had the collar on her neck and wrists. She was so angry for what they did, and they punished her for it." Clarice placed a hand on John's shoulder. "She's strong. Maybe even stronger than the Strucker kids. That's why I know she's going to be okay."

"She needs to rest." John sighed.

"And she will." Artemis' voice made the two turn and look at her. Tears covered her blue eyes, a black dress on her body. "But she will be angry with us if we let her sleep through Sonya's funeral."

And so, they woke her up. Artemis helped her get changed into a black dress. She watched her mother with a small frown. Her eyes were opened, she was awake, but she wasn't really there. It made Artemis want to cry. Seeing her mother so utterly broken like this. The only other time Artemis had seen her like this was when her father had "died". She pushed the red hair from her mother's face before grabbing her hand and walking out to where everyone was waiting. And where Sonya's casket was supposed to be placed.

Lorna spoke first. "Everything Dreamer did, she did for everyone here, up until the very end. She could've disguised herself as human forever, but she chose to live her with us. With her sister. With her true family." And then Lorna was placing her flowers down on the place that was supposed to be Sonya's casket. They hadn't given them her body, and this was the best they could do.

"It's days like to day that remind us we're up against people that don't think of us as human." Marcos started. "And they will point to our differences. But the simple fact is this: We love like they do. We die like they do. We grieve like they do. We share that today. Sonya will not be forgotten. And I promise. . . we will find justice for her." He looked directly at Aphrodite as he said this, giving her a small nod. One by one everyone placed down their flowers, walking away until it was just Aphrodite and John.

The redhead carefully stalked towards it, a tear falling down her cheek as she whispered six words that made John's heart shatter. "I'm sorry I didn't save you." She placed her flowers down with the others. "Goodbye, Sunny." Just as she was about to walk away, she saw John placing his own flowers down. He turned to look at her and before she could fall apart he was grabbing onto her, pulling her tight and allowing her to sob into his shoulder until she grew so tired that she was passing out.

Artemis looked at her mother before walking out and making her way down the hall, stopping when she saw Lauren. She hadn't had the chance to talk to her since she'd come back, she'd been too worried about her mother to think about anything else. She carefully made her way towards the blonde, stopping when she was only a few inches in front of her. Neither said anything―︎hell, they didn't know what to say. So instead they just pulled each other into a tight embrace.