Imogen's point of view
*2 years after Imogen and Blake's wedding*
They wouldn't let me see Ant when she was first apprehended. They said it was too dangerous. They thought her brain had forgotten who I was, that she would see me as another threat and snarl and thrash at me like she did with everyone else.
Corey had been the one to insist. He told me all about the years Ant had spent running and that her mind was even more mangled from being lost as it was from the intense indicatory training she's undergone again and again. He had claimed she made it out of the zone and scoured the country like a sociopath. She robbed gas stations and truck stops, slept in hotels and hot wired stolen cars. It made me want to be sick.
Taylor was just as furious as I was. We fought at any chance we got, we wanted to see her face when they finally caught up with her. The two of us wanted to be the first thing she saw so she would be reminded of who she was before terror struck her strong heart and charred it black.
But Corey, the voice of reason as Charlie had claimed, refused to be swayed. I think he was worried what Taylor and I might feel if we were rejected by someone we had once been so close to.
Blake was Switzerland. He wanted Taylor and I to have a right to bringing Ant to Colby as much as he wanted Corey to make sure she was stable before hand.
Everyone else didn't much care what we did with her, as long as she turned out ok. And, in the end, Taylor and I lost our battle and once an Order agent brought her into a government facility, Corey was in charge of clearing her head a little before she would be brought here.
Corey had warned me that what they had done to her wasn't human and he hadn't ever fixed anyone in a quite a state as she, and that even after his work there would still be therapy she would need to undergo before she turned back to her pre-zone self. But I was ok with that, as long as she came back to me eventually.
Saturday morning and my alarm was ringing in my ears, teasing me by being just a hair out of my reach. I squinted in the light shining through the windows and rubbed my eyes, rolling from my side on to my back.
I watched the ceiling for a while, stretching my arms and messing with the blankets. All my fuss must have woke Blake.
He groaned and rolled on his side, slinging his body on top of mine. I let out a harsh, surprised laugh as I pushed on his chest and to no avail, attempting to roll him off.
He pressed his lips onto my cheek and I laughed again, giving up and throwing my arms around his neck.
"Good morning, love." He whispered, his voice was still cloudy with sleep and the stubble on his jaw brushed against my cheek.
"You have morning breath, get off." I complained in a lighthearted tone. He smirked against my skin and fell onto his back, looking up at the ceiling as I reached over and flicked the alarm off.
"Time?" Blake asked, looking over at me.
"6:30. But Ant gets here today so I suppose it's worth it." I reminded him, shucking the blankets off. He whined at the sudden wave of cold air that rushed to greet us but while I shivered, I ignored it for the most part.
"Come on, once you get up it won't be so bad." I assured him, heading into the bathroom, clothes in hand. I could still hear Blake complaining behind me as I shut the door.
I left the bathroom dressed in a pair of light grey leggings and a yellow tee shirt that hung off my shoulders just a bit. It had been Corey's at one point but he'd given it to me when I refused to go shopping but ran out of clothes that fit. It wasn't my fault my schedule was always stocked.
Bethany, I think, was the busiest out of all of us. She had made amends with the president of the Untied States all on her own. It was impressive, especially for how young she was, but it left Will lonely and lost half of the time. He taught classes just as much as the rest of us now, for the variated kids, but he didn't have a partner to help split the workload when Bethany was sent away to some political meeting.
Mark and Taylor built their own house right across the street, a place for not only students of our special little school but also a home to the two of them and their one year old son, Ben.
Grandpa Joe passed on last year but he's held in my heart just as much as though he were still living, though perhaps a bit heavier.
My parents took his death the hardest, not leaving their secret little room in the basement for days. But they had gotten better now, though my mom seemed a little slower than she usually was.
Charlie and Corey lived together in Corey's house and they didn't mind the tight accommodations at all. Even with their five year old boy, who they adopted when we were told Charlie wasn't able to have children, they made it work. I loved seeing my sister so happy, her life so complete. It made all our sacrifices worth it.
"You know, she's probably going to be really stressed out when she gets here. I don't want you feeling hurt if she doesn't greet you with open arms right away." Blake warned me, his voice hesitant. He was standing now as I exited the bathroom, his shorts that he slept in were discarded on the floor while he tied the waistband of the grey sweatpants he'd just pulled on. He grabbed a new shirt from the dresser and held it in his hand while he waited for my response.
"I know, mom's warned me enough already and I don't want to talk about everything Corey's scared me with." I sighed. "But whatever she comes back as, it won't be as bad as the way I saw her at the zone that last night. I used to think her eyes were so pretty but when she looked at me like that," I visibly shuddered, a gesture that finished my sentence better than words ever could. Blake seemed to understand.
His brows were drawn in a tight look of concern, blue eyes shining bright with it. He brushed his mused black hair away from his eye as he took a few steps closer to me, gripping my elbows and holding me close enough so he had to lower his chin to look me in the eyes.
"Imogen, I know you'll be careful because I know how smart you are. But just promise me you won't do anything... brash because of Ant. I can't imagine what would happen if things got out of hand." He rambled on under his breath, worry creasing his forehead. I smiled faintly at him.
"I'm so lucky you picked me up off the side of the road that day." I told him. My unusual statement caused him to close his mouth and look back up at me from where his eyes had drifted to the floor. "Because now I've got someone to worry about the things I was never able to." I chuckled a bit and he smiled nervously, an aching concern swimming in the back of his eyes.
"I don't know what disasters your picturing in your head right now, but whatever they are you need to get them out. This is a happy day and we're going to be positive." I ordered him only half playfully, jabbing a finger at his chest as he dropped his hands to the side.
A crooked smile sprang up on his face as he gripped my finger in his hands and leaned down to kiss me quickly on the lips. As he backed away, he winked and threw on his shirt, plopping down on our bed to slide his shoes on.
I rolled my eyes and disappeared out the door and into the hallway where I met up with Taylor. She was halfway up the stairs but when she saw me leave the room, she froze and smiled up at me.
"I was just coming to get you." She said, her voice light and airy. Her dark, usually wild, hair had been woven into dozens of sleek box braids that reached down to her waist. She was dressed in a light green sundress. "Breakfast is ready." She finished, striding back down the stairs. I followed her with Blake now right behind me.
Charlie was in the kitchen, seated at the wooden dining table with Will, Mark, and eight of the variated students. Emily, a redheaded girl with a gift over crystals and rock, flicked her head toward us as soon as our feet hit the floor. A large smile spread across her face and she hopped up from her place, deserting her bowl of oatmeal to run to us.
Emily was young, she was 10 when she first arrived three years ago. Now 13, she was nearly ready to live in the real world with her variation under control.
"I made something for you!" She told Blake, searching around in the pockets of her cargo pants. Finally, she pulled out a flat amethyst crystal and placed it in the palm of her hand.
"I tried that new trick you were teaching me about, unapplied momentum." Blake nodded as he watched the crystal.
Suddenly, a small pyramid of amethyst broke smoothly free and floated through the air until it nudged another pyramid which separated and floated across the rock to do the same with another while the original crystal piece nestled into its vacated spot. This patterned continued even as it became clear that Emily had stopped controlling it. Emily's smile broadened.
"Impressive." Blake beamed, crossing his arms. "We'll have to discuss your departure tomorrow, I'm afraid we've got a rather full schedule today." He told her and her grin fell as he patted her shoulder.
"Right. Ok." It was all she said before she shoved the rock into her pocket and hustled back to the table, her head down as she finished her oatmeal.
"Poor girl. I feel like we've been putting her off since last year. She really did pick things up fast." I whispered to Blake. He just nodded and took the bowl of oatmeal Taylor handed to him as I took mine and we sat down in the empty chairs at the head of the table.
"Corey and Bethany went to go get Ant. They said to expect them any minuet." Will informed the two of us. I took a bite of my oatmeal.
"Why didn't they send you? They would've been there and back in seconds." I asked Will. He just shook his head. Over the years Will had significantly increased his teleportation distance to miles.
"No, they said it might freak her out if she's in one place and then instantly in an unfamiliar one. I guess they want her to be able to see where she's going." Will picked at his oatmeal. I could tell he had wanted to go, if not to make the trip easier, to be with Bethany. The two of them were best of friends and the idea of even a moment apart gave Will a certain kind of anxiety none of us could shake off him until Bethany returned.
"I see." I said, then I turned to Charlie.
"Where's Andrew?" I asked her. Charlie smiled and looked over her shoulder.
"I honestly have no idea. It's impossible to keep that boy still." She said. I knew she was just messing with me. I looked behind where she sat and into the living room where her five year old son, Andrew sat quietly playing with a yellow toy dump truck.
"Yeah. He's practically bouncing off the walls." I joked with my sister. She laughed and smiled fondly at Andrew.
Just then, Will's phone began to ring in his pocket. All heads, even the variated kids who had been chatting amongst themselves turned to look at him.
Will stood and fished his phone out of his jeans pocket.
"It's Beth." He told us. He walked out through the front door and started pacing on the porch.
"They must be close." Taylor said. I nodded, trying to read Will's lips as he talked on and on. Out of habit, my anticipation caused me to spin the gold ring on my finger, twirling it around and around to calm my jitters.
Will didn't come back inside. Instead we heard the crunching of gravel from heavy tiers and watched him hop down the front steps.
We all stood, Charlie, Mark, Taylor, Blake, the eight students and I filed out the tiny doorway and scurried out onto the gravel driveway.
An older boy, about seventeen named Drake used his variation to push the clouds in the sky out of the way, allowing the sun to shine down as a black vehicle made it's way down the road.
Another girl called Amelia, her tenth birthday just passed, raised a hand and three seconds later, a large red tailed hawk was perched gently on her fingers and a few circled her overhead.
Then a girl by the name of Haley with the ability to manipulate water and who had a fondness for all things black at age fifteen raised her arms. There was a creek behind my house that she drew the water from, having it swirl in beautiful patterns that shimmered in the newly exposed sun.
Little Emily placed her fingertips on the ground and suddenly the white rock on the edges of the driveway had been morphed into shimmering emeralds, rubies and diamonds.
A boy named Tyler with a gift over fire who would be leaving sometime next month, produced a narrow stream of flames that intertwined gracefully with Haley's water designs. They exchanged a smile and Haley blushed as he winked at her.
The front yard had been blessed with their variations. Having been the most advanced of the students, they were the only one's contributing to the welcoming display.
I had to admit, even though I had seen them use their abilities separately, having them all work together added a level of beauty that I found marvelous.
The car rolled up between the crystal borders of the driveway and underneath the halo of water and fire. Bethany was driving and Corey sat next to her in the front seat. Her short blonde hair had been pulled back at the crown of her head and she was dressed in a grey v-neck teeshirt and a smile.
Corey was grinning too but with some restraint. He was still obviously nervous as he raked a hand through his curly blonde hair.
Just as the two of them piled out of the car, my mom and dad burst from the house, eyeing me with a look of "why didn't you come and get us?" I ignored it and walked over to Bethany, seeing as Charlie had beat me to Corey.
"Is she stable?" I asked, watching her closely for any tells that she might sugarcoat the truth.
"For the most part. She's a little woozy right now, almost like a drunk. But she remembers you and Taylor. So I suppose that's better than we thought." She tells me. I smile wide and feel Blake by my side, wrapping an arm around my waist.
Then, the back door of the car cracks open just a bit. Before it can swing all the way out, Bethany has rushed back to pull it out for Ant and helps her leave the car.
It's been years. Too many to count. I was a teenager the last time we met face to face and that last time she had locked me in a cage.
She's been possessed by something, her own fear I think, and it had been what made her run for all these years. But thanks to Corey and his gift of healing the mind and the body, she would come back to us as who she once was. I would make sure she would never be afraid again.
Taylor was next to me in a heart beat and Blake dropped his arm away. Ant stood in the gravel, her black hair wild around her head. Her shoulders were broad and her stature was strong as ever. I watched her as she dazedly swiveled her head side to side, the fire from Tyler's hand reflecting in her grey eyes.
"Oh, and I should tell you." Bethany began. I didn't look at her, I couldn't take my eyes off Ant as she was led closer to Taylor and I. "Her name is Aniya." Bethany finished just as Ant's eyes landed on the two of us. Or I suppose they were Aniya's eyes.
"Flea?" She croaked, her features were set in a look of shock, her mouth parted in a tiny 'o' and her eyes wider than ever.
Taylor took a step forward and I saw the tears in her eyes and I noticed I was already letting them roll down my cheeks. Taylor nodded and for a while, the two of them just stared at each other. Then, Aniya's head snapped foreword as a violent sob rocked through her body and her shoulders began to shake with ever tear that streaked her face. Taylor rushed forward and threw her arms around the girl, holding her tight.
I smiled so wide I thought my face might split. But when the two of them finally let go and Aniya flicked her watery gaze to me, my smile faltered and the tears came like a waterfall.
"R-Roach?" She stuttered, lunging at me before I could offer reassurance. She nearly tackled me with her hug but I held tight, savoring the feeling of my friend's arms holding me close.
After what felt like forever, she released me and wiped the snot and tears from her face as I did the same.
"But you have name's too, don't you?" She inquired, watching us closely with giddy excitement.
"Yeah. Yeah we do." I said, my cheeks aching from my smile.
"I-I'm...Taylor McDaniel." She said, smoothing out the front of her rumpled dress as she whispered her name.
Aniya switched her focus to me and I glanced over at Blake, just long enough for him to offer a nod of encouragement.
"My name is Imogen Heron." I told her, finding an unexpected pride swell in my chest.
Mark stepped forward then, beside Taylor with their infant, Ben, in his arms.
"Mark McDaniel. And this is Ben McDaniel." He introduced himself and Aniya smiled in wonder at little Ben in his arms and then her gaze flicked back and forth between Taylor and Mark.
"Your... Married?" She asked with joy. Taylor nodded as she took Ben from Mark and cradled him in her arms.
"And that's your- son?" She inquired and Taylor nodded. Aniya clasped her hands together and bit her lip with something that looked oddly like pride and longing intertwined taking over her face.
"I'm Blake Heron." Blake said. I looked up at him gratefully and he smiled down at me before turning back to Aniya and setting his shoulders back.
"Your married too?" She inquired, glowing even more. Blake and I nodded and he kissed the top of my head.
"I'm Bethany Greene." Bethany said, stepping forward. "But you already knew that." She added. Will shouldered his way through the crowd and found Bethany's side almost instantly and she threw her arm over his shoulder.
"I'm Will Buller." Will said, leaning into Bethany who squeezed his shoulder. He's gotten much taller than she had and she almost couldn't reach all the way across his back.
Aniya nodded to acknowledge them and proceeded to sweep her gaze across the crowd for more people to introduce themselves.
"I'm Corey King." Corey stated. Andrew had come out with everyone else and found his father's hand, his tiny fingers enveloped by Corey's larger one's.
"This is Andrew King, our son." Charlie informed Aniya. "And I'm Charlotte King. Imogen's older sister." Aniya's wonder look flicked back and forth between me and Charlie.
"I can see the resemblance." She said.
One by one, the variated kids gave their own introductions, smiling all the while.
One they had finished, Aniya thanked us. "It's so nice to meet all of you." She said. then she gestured to the fire and water in the air, the birds that swooped around the driveway, and the beautiful crystals. "And to see what you all can do. Bethany explained to me about your school and I think what your doing is wonderful. I don't want anyone to end up like I did." Aniya finished, her feet kicking at the gravel.
Taylor walked over to her and looped her arm through Aniya's and stared up at the house.
"Let's get you a place to stay then, shall we?" And with that, everyone headed back into the house. I watched in joy as Taylor and Aniya disappeared into the house.
Blake remained next to me and I waited for a while, not wanting to leave Will and Bethany behind as they talked on and on. But eventually, Will looked over at us.
"We'll be in soon. You should go help Aniya get settled." Will told us. Blake and I nodded and headed for the door. I couldn't help but smile as we walked into the house. While Blake started heading for the stairs that led to the basement where Aniya's room would be, I stayed behind, looking through the window beside the door.
"What are you waiting for?" Blake asked, noticing I had stalled. He came beside me and looked through the window with me.
Bethany and Will were still talking. Will had grabbed her hands and was staring down at them as he laid out what I'm sure was all of his concerns for her safety while she listened with a blank expression.
He might have been watching their hands but Bethany was watching his face, taking in every curve of his lips as he spoke.
Once Will had finished, he flicked his gaze up, looking at her through his eyelashes. She grinned slightly and said something, maybe not even a sentence, but it was enough to cause Will to smile.
They watched each other then, smile's falling slowly as their bodies moved closer together. Suddenly, Will leaned forward and kissed Bethany hard, their hands breaking apart as he placed her's around his neck and his own on her lower back.
Before they broke apart, which nearly seemed impossible for how closely they had become entangled, I pulled away from the window and leaned up against the wall, a ghost of a smile decorating my lips. Blake leaned away from the window too and crossed his arms as he gazed at me, astonished.
"How did you know that would happen?" He asked me. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Are you kidding? I've been waiting on that for six years!" I told him with a laugh. He just watched me, black hair spilling into his eyes. He cracked a small half smile.
"You will never stop surprising me, will you?" He mused as I pulled myself away from the wall.
"God, I hope not." I answered. And with that, we made our way down to the basement, following the sounds of giddy voices.
"It's a good thing I like surprises." Blake told me suddenly once we had reached the bottom of the stairs.
"What do you m-" I began to ask but as I turned to face him, I was cut off by his lips against mine. It was quick and soft, but enough to make my stomach flutter. God, I loved him so much.
Hand in hand, we rounded the corner to join up with the rest of the group all huddled inside Aniya's new bedroom and wishing her good luck.
I did the same, smiling at my friend with all the happiness I hadn't spent yet.
I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face as I thought of all the amazing people I got to call my family. I couldn't have been more lucky to be surrounded by such extraordinary souls. Aniya wanted to visit her parents, she had told me this, and it was where we would go tomorrow.
I prayed she would decide to stay with us, but at the same time, all I wanted her to be was happy since she'd been denied it for so long.
I suppose whatever happened would be Aniya's choice. And I couldn't imagine her choosing something that wouldn't make her feel the way I felt when I finally came home all those years ago. When the zone fell and Bethany got the government on our side. Those were feelings I wanted Aniya to experience and however she went about that, I wouldn't stop her.
OK SO I THOUGHT I'D DO THIS LITTLE SHORT STORY FOR YOU GUYS, KIND OF LIKE A SECOND EPILOGUE, BECAUSE I WAS MISSING IMOGEN AND THE WORLD OF STATIC SO MAYBE, EVERY NOW AND THEN, I MIGHT DECIDE TO ADD THESE LITTLE SNIPPETS OF STORY LINE JUST FOR FUN. THANKS FOR READING!