I left the seat and the puppy followed me as I left the plane and flew down to the airport. It was busy and my mind was so confused. Planes were taking off and landing. People buzzed around. I saw a parking lot filled with cars in the distance. It was filled with activity. I smiled. Whatever had happened was done. The puppy barked at me and I picked it up. People didn't seem fazed by me. Then I heard a voice that made my heart leap.
"Harper!" Harry called.
"Harry!" I ran towards him and hugged him tight.
"You're alive," I breathed.
I wouldn't let him go.
"Hey there blossom," He smiled at me.
"So how has flying been?" He asked.
"Amazing," My mind still trying to grasp the fact that he was no longer dead.
"I see you've made a new friend," He pointed at the dog.
"Yeah, his name is rover," The name just popped in my mind.
"Cool, come on mom and dad are waiting for us," Harry pulled me away from the plane.
Rover ran after us and I looked at him weird.
"Mom and dad are dead," I said, blankly.
Harry would never joke about that.
"Don't be silly," Harry shrugged off.
I had to run to keep up with him. He led me toward the main airport where people boarded flights. Standing at the entrance were my parents. I didn't wait to comprehend the situation. I just ran towards them. My mom saw me first and kneeled down and grabbed me, sobbing into my shoulder. My dad lowered down as well and hugged my side. My brother was watching in happiness.
"I'm so glad you are here, now," Mom said, relief present in her voice.
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
The three exchanged a look before turning back to me.
"Nothing, sweetie. We are just so happy to see you," Dad answered.
"Oh... Ok," I accepted.
They gave me a ticket to a flight.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Home," Harry smiled at me.
"I have somethings inside of the plane," I tried to pull away but my vision blacked before I saw myself standing at the entrance of a amusement park. I was wearing,
(You can choose)
Behind me was dad who was holding my shoulders, Mom was standing next to him and right behind Harry who was holding my hand. I looked around in confusion but they pulled me inside. I shook my head trying to figure out what was going on. But it was distracted when we got on a roller coaster. I forgot all about the airplane and Harry's death, instead focusing on the joy and the amazing feeling of going down a steep slope. We got cotton candy and did carnival games, I smelled the ocean air and felt at peace. Then the scene blacked out again and I was sitting in pj's on a couch with Harry and my parents on either side of me. On the TV was a Netflix Christmas movie. I sat back and watched it.
My mind kept wandering away. I tried to block it out. At this point, I didn't want to admit that it was possibly some fake reality. Because this was amazing, being able to sit with my family whole again for the first time in 3 years! Without crying when my mom was brought up. Trying to be strong for Harry because he needed me to be. Not crying in the shower because I would never be whole again. Not watching my brother die from the distance. Not being led into a hall to tell me my parents didn't have to die but they chose too. I was done with all the grief and sadness. I wanted to start over. Some dream of paradise like an island with only those you love on it with you. My paradise is where I am right now with a complete family.
My mom baking amazing deserts, my dad using every possible moment for a dad joke, my brother ruffling my hair while I laughed. My dad and I sitting down and taking the afternoon to yell at the TV during football season. Harry and I whining about going on a 10 mile hike while my parents were insistence that it was good for us. That was my paradise and I was living it right now. I was never going to let go because this is what I want. I will sacrifice everything but this. Being tucked in at night when I was a little girl, not worrying about if my parents would survive the mission they were on. The child hood I never got. Every time I was called to the office for early dismissal, my heart sinking at the thought of someone from the Heroics saying that my parents didn't escape this time. I watched as the movie ended and another was turned on. Then I realized that it was the exact same feeling. I looked at the clock, it had been 8 when I appeared here and it showed the time 8 again. I knew the clock had moved because I glanced at it every once and a while. I tried to stand up but they pushed me down and my eyes closed for a second and when I opened them, I was in the airplane with Rover on my lap and the airport deserted.
"Well... according to law, we can't do the MIR unless one of these people on his list approves but since all of them are dead, he would have to wake up and change his emergency people before we do the tests," Molly explained.
"Will he wake up?" I asked.
"Not in his condition," Jacob admitted.
"So what do we do?" I questioned.
"You would need to go through some huge insurance process before he can get the test that will probably take several months," A nurse answered.
"Will he survive that long?" I stressed.
"Unfortunately, no. He needs this test now," Molly said.
"So, I have to watch him die," I confirmed.
"Not necessarily. There is a clause when he signed the Heroics contract where if we can prove that you are related to him then we can go ahead and do the test and show them it later when lawyers come barking at your door," A doctor in the back brought up.
"JC, we don't even know if that would work. Mr. Louis has powers and could alter his blood stream so he has some new blood that would be hard to prove," Molly pointed out.
"I want to try," I cut in.
JC approached me with a needle and drew some blood and took some blood from Harry using the IV.
"It should take about 10 minutes to do the test," JC answered before rushing off.
Molly ran after him and the others slowly left the room. My phone dinged again.
Missy: Hey, do you want us to bring you any food on our way to headquarters?
Me: That would be amazing
Missy: Great we are stopping at Sonic what would you like
Me: A number 6 chicken sandwich with no tomato or onion. But with lettuce and mayonnaise. A medium fry and a large Strawberry Limeade and barbecue, please
Missy: You got it! See you in 20
Me: Thanks!
Missy: No problem
10 minutes later, JC came in with a forlorn face. The others followed with the same expression. He looked up at me.
"So do you want the good news or the bad news?" JC asked, quietly.
"The bad news?" I said, hesitantly.
"You won't get to see your brother for half of an hour," JC answered.
"Wait! So you can do the MIR?" I jumped up.
"Yep, we found a unique enzyme in both of your blood streams that can only be found in blood related people," JC confirmed, a grin playing on his face.
"Thank you so much, for all of this," I thanked.
"No problem," Molly shrugged off.
I excused myself and went back to the waiting room I was in and heard my stomach grumble the minute I sat down. I smiled. A real genuine smile that I had not done in a very long time. Missy and her dad appeared with the Sonic and left quickly because they wanted them back. I thanked them and enjoyed my food. Then Molly entered the room, I looked up at her.
"There was a complication in the MIR test room can you help me go see what's going on?" Molly asked.
"Of course," I nodded.
She led me up some stairs until we entered a room. I knocked on the door. I couldn't hear anything so I tried to open the door but it was locked.
"Hello... What's going on?" I called.
I pushed some energy under the door incase something was blocking it. Then I was pulled in and so was Molly. I came face to face with Harry who had solid black eyes and a gun pointed at my head.