Ascendance

29

I was back at our new house with Jackson and the others. My parents and Jodi didn't know who he was, but they were aware of the Founder's deal with me.

"Ugh, I don't know how I'm supposed to turn all of this into a book." Lydia sighed, flipping through various notes.

"What are you doing?" Jackson asked them, passing by them with a bowl of cereal in hand.

"Well, we're trying to write a book on cephalopods for the Agency but we don't really have much information and we don't want to use the information we have." Lydia sighed. "I don't want information that was taken unwillingly."

"So we're extremely limited on information. I don't think we can really write anything with this." Miranda was sifting through sketches and various written notes.

"I could help you, if you wanted." Jackson offered, crossing his arms.

"That would be great. We'll pay you too." Lydia smiled at him.  

"Thanks!" Jackson exclaimed, smiling back at her. I noticed his canines were still a bit pointier than usual and his pupils seemed to be permanently dilated.

"So I guess we'll start whenever you feel comfortable. For the meantime, we're going to go shopping." Lydia told them. Miranda and her got ready.

"Wow, I didn't know that." I spoke. My parents looked exhausted.

"I know this must be really hard for you." My mother looked at me with gentle eyes. "We're here to talk if you need to." Lydia and Miranda left the room while Jackson went to go watch TV in the other room. Jodi was at school, so that wasn't a problem. I sat down in front of my parents.

"You know, I don't know what to think anymore. I've been having complicated feelings about...my birth mother and my birth family and stuff." I sighed, my shoulders loosening. "My birth mother told me some things....that she regretted the adoption and that she relapsed from her addiction after that. I'm glad you raised me but sometimes...I wonder what it would of been like to be raised by her."

"Well, if we had known that Karenina was regretting her choice, we would have let her keep you." My mom took a sip of her coffee. "I know it must have been very traumatic for her to give you up."

"And of course, having that man as your great- grandfather is not helping you." My dad was tearing a cinnamon roll in half. "My poor daughter."

"I know. I don't really think he likes me." I didn't want to tell them exactly why. They might agree with him. Granted, so far Jackson hadn't tried anything.

"Why do you say that?" My mother asked. 

"I don't know, I just get that vibe." 

"Well, you'll have to stay on his good side for now." My father says. "I know it's not ideal but until you prove yourself, he will be like that." 

"I think maybe he just doesn't know you that well and he might be on guard. In any case, tread carefully with what you do." 

I nodded in agreement. That sounded like a plan. 

"Well, that will be fun." I took a deep breath, too annoyed to say more. 

"It is what it is. But we have survived, in spite of it all." My mother smiled at me.

"Thank you." I told them. "For letting me vent out to you guys."

"No problem, mija." My mom smiled at me.

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He was little, probably two or three. He was trying to walk in his second form.

"Ayleah, come here!" It was his father calling out for his mother. He hit the ground and let out a wail.

"Akenath, it's okay. It's just a fall." His father picked him up gently by his underarms and held him. To Akenath, it was the worst pain he had ever experienced. Oh, if only he knew. His mother arrived, wearing an indigo dress with beads woven into short drooping sleeves and a collar.

"Oh, Nate, what happened?" She looked at his father.

"He's trying to walk. Poor thing doesn't have any balance yet." He chuckled. Baby Akenath giggled and grabbed his father's face.

"Nate!" He chuckled. His mother gently took him from his father's arms.

"He's growing big and strong like his father." She smiled.

"Seems like he's intelligent like his mother." His father smiled at his mother. They both laughed as he nuzzled into his mother's neck.

—--------------------------

When Jackson woke up, he was asleep on the couch.

"Are you okay?" It was Sofia, Erika's adoptive mother. He nodded.

"Yeah, I think the room was a bit too stuffy for me." Jackson stretched, feeling pain in his neck and his upper back. What an idiot.

"I can drop the thermostat a bit if that would make you more comfortable." Sofia spoke to him.

"That might help. Thank you." He sighed, closing his eyes. Jackson was so exhausted, it wasn't even funny. He then got up to go to the guest room. He thought about his choice to stay on Earth. Scarleth must have told everyone what happened. Probably even declared herself the new Leader after Felixin's death. 

Jackson wouldn't be surprised if she had planned this. He went to his room. Heather had been worried about him. Part of him felt like she didn't trust Erika but she didn't seem interested in killing or harming him.

Not that she didn't have a reason to. Especially after everything he had done to her. Jackson was surprised that she didn't let Alberto drag him off to some unknown lab in Area 51.

He heard a knock on the front door. He checked the blinds to see Heather at the door. Jackson felt his heart skip a beat. She was here. He almost ran to the door.

Jackson opened the door.

"Hey!" Heather smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I was on my way to work and I realized you left your writing pad in my car." Heather held a notepad up.

Jackson sighed. That's where it went.

"Thanks, Heather."