Razz walked slowly across the platform. Grief didn't just weigh down his heart, it settled into his entire body. He reached the podium and rested his leaden arms on it.
"It is my sad duty to inform you of three deaths. The child Na died from injuries inflicted by his mother Cla, despite his rescue by Alex. In retribution, she challenged Cla. Both died in the resulting duel. The bodies of Alex and Na were claimed by her friends so they could be buried together. The body of Cla was taken by her band of warriors."
Razz looked out at the satisfied expressions of the extremists dispersed in the crowd. He hated them. He hated himself for using their idea and hated that it was working so well.
Zilik came over and laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.
"I want to strangle them," Razz whispered to him as he turned back to his seat.
Zilik took the podium. "I would like to take a few moments to remember Alex. She fought for the Anolis males when they were considered nothing more than property."
He paused to look over the faces of the extremists. Expressions ranged from agreement to wariness. "She didn't hesitate to fight for a child when no one saw anything wrong with his treatment. She cared for him more than her image, politics, or her own life."
He paused again. "It was most un-Chameleon, but I respect her for it. We should not let her death be in vain. Children are not property, any more than males. No one has the right to injure or kill a child, not even the parents. Discipline, yes. Injure, no. Our job now is to carry this message to all the societies on our world."
There was respectful applause. Not thunderous, but Zilik would settle for it.
***
Floating to consciousness, Alex was first aware of a throbbing in her side. Next, she had the feeling of being watched. She opened her eyes to see a small pair of eyes boring into her.
"Na?" she asked.
"Tia? You're awake? Are you okay?"
Their voices roused Gabe, who had been sleeping in a nearby chair.
"Where are we?" she asked Na as Gabe rubbed his eyes.
"With my dad and uncles and cousins."
Alex relaxed at the last word. She was where she desperately wanted. She smiled at Gabe who was quick to sit on the bed next to her. He laid his mangled hand over her pale one.
"There's a lady who kinda looks like you." Na climbed on the bed.
"She's my sister."
Na nodded, looking satisfied.
"How are you feeling?" Gabe asked Alex quietly.
"Great, now." Alex raised his hand and pressed it gently to her cheek, careful not to strain the damaged joints.
Na looked anxiously from one to the other until Alex took his hand as well.
"He's been your constant companion since we brought you home from the hospital. He would have stayed there if we let him. We can't pry him away, so Alex has been serving him meals in here," Gabe explained.
"You, too, I bet," Alex said.
"Guilty as charged."
"How long have I been out?"
"Not that long. You spent one night in the hospital for treatment, tests, and observation, then Grange had you sedated for the transfer home to lessen your pain. A nurse came last night and this morning."
"Can you pick another name for me now?" Na asked.
Alex smiled at Na's impatience. "I promised we would all decide on a new name for him together," she explained to Gabe.
"Let's see." Gabe regarded Na. "Something strong, courageous, and very loyal."
Na stared at him, eyes wide with wonder at the kind words. "Really, Father?"
"Please call me daddy, son. Father is too formal for my liking."
Alex leaned forward and kissed the stunned boy. "I told you he would love you. You're precious beyond anything in this world to both of us."
The older Alex walked in with a tray of food.
"I heard you talking. Soup for you, dear, but Na, I brought you peanut butter and jelly. Gabe, here's tuna. Tell me why everyone looks so serious." She set up the food in a fussy, maternal way as she spoke.
"Tia and Fa--daddy are finding a new name for me."
"Oh? You don't like Na?" The older Alex asked.
He scowled. "It means nothing, useless."
The older Alex's scowl matched his. "Useless? Then it must go. You are certainly not useless. How about Gabriel? It is a bit obvious, but Gabriel was a strong angel of the Lord."
"I was thinking of Galen," Gabe said.
"I like it...daddy," Na said.
"Me, too. Should we make it official?" Alex held Na's, now Galen's, hand.
"It's official, son," Gabe said gravely and then smiled at Alex and Galen, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Galen, can you play with your cousins now? Tell them your new name while I speak with Alex."
Alex held out her arms and Galen nuzzled her before leaping off the bed with a yell. They could hear his voice echoing down the hallways. The older Alex smiled at them before leaving as well.
"That sounded serious," Alex said.
"He said his mother was Cla. I assume he's the son of my counterpart from your timeline?"
Alex nodded. "The Gabe of my timeline wasn't tortured. He said he slept with Cla to help the revolution. Or at least, that was his excuse."
Gabe hissed in anger and Alex stroked his twisted hands with her glowing ones until he calmed.
"I must ask your forgiveness for taking advantage of you the last time you were here," Gabe said.
Alex rolled her eyes. "For the last time, I took advantage of you. I thought we were past that nonsense."
"I wasn't the young, traumatized one," Gabe replied.
"I have an old soul," Alex retorted, "Prematurely aged. Now stop it. You have nothing to apologize for. If you keep apologizing, then I'll have to apologize, then we'll go round and round. Stupid and futile."
"The Portal Guardian doesn't agree with you. She stripped me, all of us, of our Guardian status."
"What? That's insane! That's not fair." Alex sat bolt upright and held her side in pain. She hunched over, taking several deep breaths, eyes closed, to make the pain recede.
"No, it's not fair. It's mercy. I don't want what's fair for taking advantage of a brutalized young female that I was entrusted to care for," Gabe said. "None of us do. We're happy received such light reprimands. Cale was assigned permanently to the priesthood and Rile to fatherhood."
"What about you?" Alex opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"I'm hoping that I'm being assigned to fatherhood, too. I also want to ask you to unite with me so that we can raise him together..." his voice trailed off.
"But?" Alex asked cautiously, still holding her side.
"I can't ask you now. You're still badly hurt. Galen told me what happened. It wouldn't be right to ask you now. If you'll wait for me, I'll wait for you. Whatever time will satisfy the Portal Guardian that we're sincere in our feelings for each other. That's if you're interested." Gabe looked down at his twisted fingers. "I know I'm not much, what with what's left of me."
"I accept all of you, every bit of which is magnificent." Alex threw her arms around Gabe's neck. "Ow." She held her side with one hand but kept one around Gabe's neck.
"Alex, you can't accept," Gabe said. "Not now. The Portal Guardian will say you're still traumatized. In time, when you're healed. We don't want to anger her. I know I don't want her upset with me again. Here, you're hurting yourself. You're bleeding."
He gently disengaged the one hand. He untied the side strings of the hospital gown and peeked at the wound. "Popped two stitches. I'll pack it with gauze."
He expertly unwrapped the sterile gauze, placed it against the wound and taped it in place. "I'll have the nurse check it tonight when she does your regular wound care."
"Time to return home to raise your children," said a voice of ringing crystal, beautiful, but still intimidating, filled the home.
The portal in the living room reached from floor to ceiling, a thin slit of white light, so bright that it was clearly visible from the bedroom.
"Do you want to walk or do you want me to carry you?" Gabe asked.
Galen raced into the room and jumped onto the bed. Alex held him against her good side.
"I'll walk with one of you on each side."
They entered into the chaos that was the living room. Rile and the older Alex were trying to control the exuberant Rafe and Caleb while pack at the same time. Cale was frantically packing several bags at once.
When Rafe almost dashed into the portal, Rile stepped in partway in, and then stepped back out. His face was exultant. "It is home. I see Father. Forget packing any more, throw what's packed through the portal, take our weapons, and let's go."
He ushered in his Alex and children. Cale entered next. Gabe took Alex's other hand and he, Alex, and Galen started forward together.
Alex felt her hands wrenched away from Galen's and Gabe's. She tried to call to them, to reach them, but she was lost in the nothingness of the portal like never before.
***
A/N
Portal weirdness? Guesses as to who or what is messing with the portal?
Dedicated to prolific reader and voter
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