Chapter 23

Moving day finally came. We decided that using our powers would be the most efficient and productive way to move. When everything had been packed and warped out of the house we all stood in the bare main room. Madeline held onto Zander’s hand. They were practically inseparable since the big reveal. David stood with a giddy look on his face. He was happy just be going ‘home’.

The three of them smiled up at me as excited as they possibly could be. Rylan walked from our bedroom and came into the front room. His head hung low as he walked next to me. He nodded when he was at my side. “Kids, there are a few rules.”

They each nodded, “Naturally.” Zander sarcastically said. Rylan shot him a look shutting him up.

“We are a family now and we don’t ever sacrifice that for anything or anyone.” My eyes went directly to Zander.

Rylan put both his hands on his hips, “Next if for any reason someone wants to take any of you, stop it. Especially watch over David.” David smiled and shoved out his chin. He thought it was pretty cool to be the only human in a whole hero family.

“Keep all the rules and laws of your school and of our home.” I pitched in.

“We are still in charge,” Rylan pointed to the two of us. “And if any single one of these rules are broken we will come back here so fast you won’t know what happened.”

The three of them nodded. Rylan stepped forward and held out his arms. Each of the kids huddled around him. He kissed the foreheads of each one. They came over to me next and I did the same. They stepped back in their line and shook with anticipation. Rylan held my wrist for a minute, “Stay here.” He whispered then walked to the kids. He touched Madeline and David they both were gone with a flash. Zander stood alone in the living room. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner Zander.” He smiled at Rylan and with a touch of his dark hand Zander was gone also.

He turned around and looked at me, “as for you. I have a few rules of my own.”

“Oh do you?” I smiled and walked over to him.

His arms wrapped around me and my hands placed on his chest. “You have to love me no matter what.”

“You stole mine.” I laughed and rubbed his Pecs.

Slowly his head lowered. His nose ran up the spine of mine and his lips touched my forehead lightly. He took a deep breath like he was breathing me in. His lips came down my nose once more and fell onto my lips. He kissed me like he used to when we were young. It was full of energy and life. He acted as if it pained him to have our lips touch like they did. He pulled away and breathed deeply. Our forehead rested together. “We aren’t safe anymore.”

“What do you mean?” I stroked his chin with the tips of my fingers over and over again. He kissed me once more and pulled me in tighter to him.

“Phoenix wouldn’t ever come here. This is where he lost his innocence. As long as we lived here he couldn’t touch us. Now we’re going back to Miami and who knows what will happen.”

“What is with this sudden interest in Phoenix? Rylan if I wanted to leave you for Phoenix I would’ve done it a long time ago.”

He sighed, “It’s not a matter of you leaving me for Phoenix. It’s a matter of him taking you away.”

My hands circled up around his neck and pulled my face closer to him. “He can’t take me away. I’m here Rylan. I’m yours you’ve already won.” I kissed the tip of his nose.

His head shook between my arms. His finger pointed on my chest. “As long as his virus runs through you I haven’t won.”

“You’re in there too.”

“I didn’t change you.” He said softly. His warm breath grazed my lips.

I stroked a piece of hair that had fallen out from its usual spot. “But you have sweetie.” He smiled and I squeezed tighter into him. “Now kiss me like that one more time before we go start our new life.”

A slight chuckle bubbled from his chest and his lips pressed into mine. No matter how many times he kissed me my knees still went weak. Every time he looked at me it was as if he was looking at me for the first time. There’s never a dull moment with him. That’s something Phoenix will never have over him. Rylan is the love of my life and nothing will ever change that. Nothing.

 

 

We warped to the house. The kids had already begun to look around. They claimed bedrooms. The boys were in my old room and Madeline took the guest room. “It’s so much warmer here,” Chimed David loudly. “I like it already.” The three of them laughed and I grabbed a few bags and walked towards the stairs. The waves beat furiously on the beach. The water looked so much warmer then in Lincoln City. There are fewer rocks and fewer trees too. There’s no doubt that Miami is beautiful, but it didn’t really feel like home anymore.

“Dad didn’t you grow up here?” Zander said as he plopped down on the white couch.

“I did,” I answered when I walked back into the room. “Maybe someday I’ll show you where I lived.”

David was spinning around in circles looking at the whole room. “So this is where it all happened.”

I had forgotten his knowledge in super heroes. Rylan walked in from outside with a disgusted look on his face. “It stinks here.”

“You’re just looking for any excuse to be miserable.”

The kids laughed and Rylan kissed the top of my forehead. He walked by with a few more bags, “Where’s the Oreson’s house?” David walked to the window and started looking out towards the city.

“They’re on the other side of the beach.” I pointed toward where their very large house was located. He strained his human eyes to see that far. They each ran off to their rooms eventually and started unpacking. Rylan and I walked up to our bedroom. He uncovered the mattress and bed. He started making the bed the way he did every morning.

I carried a few bags into the closet. “You have to admit we do have some good memories here.”

Rylan grumbled and continued to fix the bed. I pulled two boxes in with me and started pulling out clothes. I hung Rylan’s clothes on one side and mine on the other. It was nice to be out of my morphed state. I would much rather look what I really looked like and not like the old me. My arms were strong once more and my hair dark. I felt right like a statue in it’s mold.

I dug my hands deep into the box to feel dry cleaning plastic. My hands searched for the hangers. When they finally reached the metal bars I pulled. Out from underneath all the clothes came the two most surprising things. “You kept these?” I suddenly asked loudly.

“Kept what?” Rylan asked.

The suits still had their snap. The dark grey leather type fabric hung off the hangers with structure. I could see where every muscle was to be held. I looked over the dark pattern on Rylan’s suit. Memories of us together in these flooded my mind. A sweet smile crossed my face. Rylan walked in behind me and leaned against the door.

I switched the suits to see mine. Something else caught my eye though. It had been repaired. Nothing was wrong with it. When I shook it slightly something fell out of the bottom. As my eyes looked down I caught the black fabric. “My mask,” I cheered loudly and bent over to pick it up.  This was my old suit. Before Rylan and I had gotten together I wore this. Excitement ran through my bones. “You always looked so good in that.” Rylan walked into the closet and took the black mask out of my hands. Carefully he placed it over my face. The black mask formed around the muscles in my face and stayed in place. The fabric bent with my facial movements almost as if it was skin.

Rylan’s hand tossed the top of my perfectly groomed hair. “Do you miss it?” I asked carefully.

He took a deep breath and put both hands on the side of my face. “Some days, don’t you?” My head nodded between his hands. “It’s safer this way.” Again I nodded as memories flooded through the mask into my mind. “I miss spending that time with you, working together like we were actually partners.”

“We are partners, just in something different.” He laughed.

I put my hands on his chest. “I miss that too. I miss the adrenaline pumping through my veins. When Zander went missing it put that excitement through me again. We are just meant for adventure, that’s all there is to it.”

My hands rubbed up and down on his torso. Somehow moving here was bringing us closer than either of us thought. Here I felt young, I was something different. We were something different. Rylan’s hand ran through my hair again. “Remember the last night we were together here?”

“Day, we spent the day together.” His thumb began to graze the sides of my cheeks.

I watched as his eyes slowly illuminated. They looked deep into me and images appeared in my mind. We were both so young. We had no idea what would happen that night, the night I lost Rylan. Although the way he looked at me hinted at something. My eyes looked around at the room. Rylan stood in the corner and watched also.

Our young selves were wrapped under mountains of sheets, his tan body wrapped around mine. My silver eyes looked up into his dark grey pools. The way we looked at each other with such love was astounding. That’s what I missed. Rylan looked up from the corner and gave me a smile. I knew that’s what he missed too. I turned back to the bed scene and leaned back on the dresser. His long white hair sprawled out across the sheets. My fingers twisted a single curl. His breath was on my face. The personal memory began to come back.

“I love you,” he whispered to me. “I will love you always and forever.”

“… and beyond,” I finished

His arm wrapped around my head and his lips pressed into mine. We took a break for air, “and beyond.”

The memory slowly faded away. I came back to reality to see Rylan still standing in front of me. His pointer fingers were pinching the sides of my forehead taking the memory away. When his lit eyes had dimmed I put my arms around his neck. “We’ve changed,” I whispered.

“After that we understood what it was like to lose each other. Instead of living in the moment we live for the future, making sure the other will be safe forever. Someday things will go back to normal. Someday we’ll find love again. Someday all the kids will be gone and we will have all the time in the world.”

I butted in, “The minute it comes close to losing the other…”

“We fight.” I took a deep breath, “Trust me.” He whispered, “Like you once did. Love me, like you once did.” 

Author's Note

Sorry about the small text. I switched browsers.