Nouria's headquarters are both strange and beautiful. They have no need to hide underground, because she's found a way to imbue objects with her power—an evolution of our abilities even Castle hadn't foreseen.
She says her abilities not only have the power to blind, but that she can also use light to warp sounds.
Which I think is so cool.
I take Aaron's hand, as I smile up at him when he looks at me.
I take Ella's hand too, as I don't want her to feel left out.
Plus, if she and Aaron gets married, which I really hope will happen, she will have to get used to sharing him.
I'm not letting anyone take Aaron away from me, I don't believe he would let that happen anyway.
Ella looks at me too and I smile up at her too.
"Are you two okay?" She asks, squeezing my hand.
I nod, Aaron does too.
Aaron offers her a distracted smile and vague apology as we begin walking again, but—
wait.
Finally, I ask feeling excitement building up in me.
"anyone happen to know what day it is?"
When someone respond, I look up at Aaron with a huge smile on my face.
Tomorrow is his birthday.
He will be twenty years old.
Tomorrow.
I let go of their hands and run over to kenji.
"Kishimoto!"
"Elena, where are you going—" Aaron asks me as I stop.
"that's a secret I'm only telling kenji, at least for now." I tell him as I run up to kenji again.
I think Aaron knows, we never did much in his birthdays, I tried to make the day funnier, and a little better, but since I couldn't bake, there was no cake, no muffin cake as he would give me on my birthdays.
"What is it kiddo?" Kenji asks me when I'm standing in front of him.
I wave for him to come closer.
"can you help me with something?" I whisper in his ear.
"sure, what do you need help with?"
"you need to help me make the best birthday party ever!" I tell him still whispering.
"for who?"
"Aaron-" I say, "please kenji-"
he thinks about it, then nods.
"I will see what we can do."
"Would you prefer a chance to shower and change before reuniting with the others?" Nouria is saying.
"Yes," Aaron says quickly. "I'd really appreciate the time to rest."
"No problem. We meet for dinner in the main tent in two hours. I'll show you to your new residences." She hesitates.
"I hope you'll forgive me for being presumptuous, but I assumed the three of you"—she looks at Aaron and Ella, to me —"would like to share a space. But of course if that's not—"
"Yes, thank you," Ella says quickly. Her cheeks are already pink. "We're grateful for your thoughtfulness."
Nouria nods. She seems pleased. And then she turns to Kenji and Nazeera and says, "If you'd like, I can arrange to join your separate rooms so that y—"
Kenji and Nazeera respond at the same time.
"What? No."
"Absolutely not."
I giggle.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Nouria says quickly. "My apologies. I shouldn't have
assumed."
"don't worry about it, they love each other—" I say looking at Kenji laughing.
And then I walk over to Aaron and Ella again.
"Why would you think we'd want to share a room?" Nazeera asks flustered.
Nouria shakes her head. She shares a quick, confused glance with Castle, but seems suddenly mortified.
"I don't know. I'm sorry. You seemed—"
"Separate rooms are perfect," Kenji says sharply.
"Great," Nouria says a little too brightly. "I'll lead the way." And I watch, amused, as Castle tries and fails to hide a smile.
It makes this even funnier.
Our residence, as Nouria called it, is more than I could've hoped for. I thought we'd be camping; instead, inside of each tent is a miniature, self-contained home.
There's a bed, and a small room with a single bed, a small living area, a tiny kitchen, and a full bathroom. The furnishings are spare but bright, well made and clean.
And when Ella walks in, she slips off her shoes, and throws herself backward onto the bed, i do the same, as I land beside her.
"This place is so cool, don't you think?" I say.
I can almost imagine us together like this—maybe, someday—in our own home.
How I want that to happen someday.
Ella yawns soundlessly, hugging a pillow to her chest as she curls up on her side. Her eyes close.
A smile tugs at Aarons mouth as he watches her.
Then he leaves to go shower.
....
I was so exhausted that I think I fell asleep.
Because now, I'm being shaken.
I open my eyes slowly as I see a familiar figure in front of me.
"you always wake me up at the wrong times." I tell him.
"sorry, sweetheart, but you need to shower too."
I sit up.
Ella is studying us, or it looks like it.
I smile at her.
"Have you showered?" I ask her and she nods.
"oh, okay," I say. " I'll go shower then."
And I do quickly, because I need to leave before Aaron and Ella does.
I quickly get dressed again, as there was clean clothes here.
They're a little big for me, but it'll work.
"okay—" I say stressing when I get out of the bathroom.
"everything okay Elena?" Aaron asks me as I'm now standing In front of them.
"um—yes," I say, "I just need to go—" I say obviously not knowing what to say.
"Im seeing Kenji! I'll see you when dinner is ready!" I tell them, running up to Aaron, hugging him.
I offer him a smile when I look up at him.
"Thank you for being okay," I say. "but please—from now on.." a little pause.
"don't go anywhere I can't follow." I say feeling more relaxed in his arms.
He looks surprised by my words, until he kisses my head.
"I won't." He says and I'm soon back on my feet, as I need to leave for the surprise.
But before I leave, I say: "I'll see you later!"
....
This was more than I could've hoped for. I thought maybe, given our time constraints, we'd just get a group to sing him "Happy Birthday," or maybe eat dessert in his honor, but this—
There's an actual cake.
Which was what I really hoped for.
A cake with candles in it, waiting to be lit.
Everyone from Omega Point is here—the whole crew of familiar faces:
Brendan and Winston, Sonya and Sara, Alia and Lily, and Ian and Castle. Only Adam and James are missing, but there are someone else here too!
Haider is here. So is Stephan.
all come forward, gathered around a single, modest sheet cake. It reads—
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARNER
in red icing.
The piping is a little sloppy. The icing is imperfect. But when someone dims the lamps and lights the candles,
Aaron goes suddenly still beside Ella.
Im standing with the others, but as they're here now, I run over to him.
He lifts me up as I hug him.
"Happy birthday Aaron." I say hugging him tight.
"I hope this makes up for all the years we couldn't celebrate." I say as he places me back down.
I drag him over to the cake as Ella follows.
"Aaron," Ella whispers. "Is this okay?"
He takes a few seconds to respond, but when he finally does, he nods. Just once—but it's enough.
"Yes," he says softly. "This is okay."
Please tell me if you want another special chapter from Elena's memories with Warner<33
I will try show more of Elena and Warners relationship from now on by the way. I love writing them together!🫶