Ignite [Book Three In The "Fire And Lightning" Series]

Chapter Eleven- "First" Day

May 1, 2017. 20:45
Nightvale
~~Willow~~

I stared at my brand-new phone, snug in its purple case.

"Huh, weird." I muttered.

"Who was it?" Connor asked again.

I whirled around and kissed his cheek. "No one, apparently."

"Come along, lovebirds!" Mr. Grace teased from where he stood at the foot of the stairs. "Last day of school tomorrow!"

"And the day after that is your first day working together at S.T.A.R. Labs!" Mrs. Grace smiled at the both of us proudly.

"Mum..." Connor moaned at the same moment I shouted "Please no more pictures!"

Mr. and Mrs. Grace laughed at us.

"Very well, no more pictures," Mrs. Grace put down her camera on the table in the hall. "But I want no chance of the two of you falling asleep on your first day, now eile! To bed, both of you!"

"Ja, ma'am!" We both replied hastily. Two, full-grown college students jumping at the orders of their practical mother.

"You excited, Ember?" Connor asked. He took my hand as he walked me down the hall to my room.

"Am I ever!" I beamed at him. I couldn't wait to get back to my office at S.T.A.R. Labs, and it would be even better withConnor there to meet up during breaks or just to talk during any time of the day. I couldn't wait!

"Goodnight, Meine Liebe," Connor whispered. He took both my hands in his.

"Goodnight, dummkopf."

"You know you love me." His lips were dangerously close to mine.

I smirked, standing on tiptoe to bring my lips to meet his.

"I guess you're only half a moron, then."

Connor wrapped his strong arms around me. "Sweet dreams, Ember." He whispered, caressing my hair.

"Good night, Connor." I kissed his cheek line more time and finally went inside my room to get ready for bed.

I couldn't sleep, however. Nightingale and Nightwing taught me that keeping your hands occupied is a surefire way to keep yourself awake, which is a good skill to have on a stake out. Unfortunately, it's not a good skill to have when you have one of the biggest days of your life tomorrow.

Emma. I wondered how she was doing. Had she forgiven Kaldur yet? I hoped so. Emma needed someone who could treat her right, and even with all this undercover stuff, Kaldur was the only guy I could ever picture Emma ending up with.

I wondered how Richard was doing. Was he doing okay with Kaldur back on the team? Or did his former leadership clash with Kaldur's experience and seniority. The two of them and Emma were a few amazing leaders.

Was Artemis okay? I knew Emma, M'gann, and Oliver would be there to help her get through Wally's death, and so would her sister, Cheshire. I wondered what Lian was like now. Was she walking? Had she said her first word yet?

Even after my fingers stopped drumming excitedly, thoughts of the team and the life I left behind kept me wide awake with no hope of falling asleep anytime soon.

I pictured Emma's face of despair as she begged me to stay. She hadn't known, hadn't believed that I let Pyro out. That I let her down after all these years.

May 3, 2017. 10:06.
Taos, New Mexico.

"Welcome to the Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Labs-- more commonly known as S.T.A.R. Labs!"