Dark Fall

Chapter 53 - Family Vacation

Terra bent down and helped Zoe get up. Zoe hugged her. "Thank you, Terra."

"You are very welcome, my friend."

Terra retreated to the door of her treatment room and knocked. "Ginny, it's me. Everything is okay now."

After Ginny opened the door, Terra entered and cuddled her daughter in her arms. A silent tear rolled down her cheek.

Ginny put her hand on Terra's shoulder. "What happened out there?"

"Soldiers," Terra answered with a matter-of-fact voice. "They did not like the way we prioritized triage. Zoe and I handled it."

As another tear traced Terra's cheek, Ginny asked, "There is something more?"

Terra turned to her squirming baby daughter and cooed, "Are you still hungry, little one?" Once seated and Anna returned to nursing, Terra answered Ginny, "The rage... I almost did something terrible."

Ginny kneeled down before Terra. "I understand. There is little more furious than a mother protecting her baby. I feel it too as a grandma. But I take it you did not do this terrible thing?"

She shook her head. "I was so close."

"This is not an easy thing, Terra. You are very powerful and able to inflict great harm. And with power comes responsibility."

Terra looked down at the floor and nodded silently.

Leave it to Ginny to tell the hard truth.

Liz appeared in the doorway with a paled face. "I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

Terra wiped the tear from her cheek. "I'm okay."

"There are two more patients for you. Shall I send them in?"

Terra gently lifted her now sleeping daughter and passed her to Ginny. "No reason to hide anymore. I will go to them."

Her first patient was the hospital security guard injured by the soldiers. He smiled in appreciation of Terra's efforts as she stabilized his shoulder wound. The second patient was one of the wounded men brought in by the sergeant. His eyes widened in fear as she treated a severe leg wound, despite her reassurances.

As Terra walked back down the hall, she could not help but notice the sideway glances and the pauses in conversation as she passed. She pushed her feelings aside.

It will be as it shall.

Terra returned to Ginny's house as the dawn brightened the sky to find Will pacing with a crying baby. The crying abated when Anna recognized her mother.

Will shrugged. "Hungry again, I think."

With a sob, Terra hugged them both and put her head on Will's shoulder.

Will spoke softly while wrapping an arm around his family. "Rough night?"

Terra took Anna and laid on the bed, propped up by a layer of pillows placed by Will. She pulled up her shirt and nursed her daughter.

Her eyes moistened. "Will, I messed up bad. Our anonymity is gone. By now, the whole town knows I am here and maybe of our daughter."

Will crawled on the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around Terra's shoulders. "I suppose that was inevitable. It is hard to hide anything in Freehold." He kissed her gently on the lips. "I do not blame you."

"There was something else. My Talent is still really strong, and my aura was probably very bright. Any Talent within many kilometers might have seen me."

"I assumed your powers would return to normal after our little girl was born." He stroked Anna's little head. "I wonder if she enhances them even now?"

A lump formed in Terra's throat. "What do we do?"