Locked Away

IX

I packed the last bit of scrolls that might be useful during this mission and zipped up the duffle bag. I walked to my closet and turned the light on, I glanced around the shelves and paused. Did I misplace it? No, I haven't used it in years so it's definitely in here. I pushed my jewelry boxes out of the way and felt around in the back. Still isn't there...well what the hell? I know that it was in here because I swear I just saw it the other day putting laundry away.

"Looking for this?" James asked while holding my necklace with a crystal in it. It's a protection crystal, not something that will prevent me from getting hurt or killed but it absorbs bad energy to lessen the chance of it happening. I sighed and tried to take it, but he pulled it back away from my hand. "This is stupid Emma."

"You don't get to tell me what is stupid," I started, I reached out again to take it and he pinned my hand against the wall. Ouch. I tried to break free from his grip and sigh in frustration. He really is going to do this right now? I have actually made him this mad to bring him to do this.

"Seriously? You're going to do the thing now?" I rammed my body into his to try and get him to move. Which in the end was a stupid decision because my shoulder is a bit sore now and it didn't even affect him in the slightest. Instead, he, pushed his arm onto my chest and shoved me against one of the dressers that was behind me, never letting go of my wrist. He furrowed his brow and his eyes turned a darker shade of blue, he was angry at me.

"Don't piss me off and I won't do the thing," He growled at me. He threw my hand out of his and then proceeded to back up, giving me space but also blocking the closet doorway so I can't get out. I shook my wrist out, giving it some relief while I snatched the crystal out of his other hand.

I sighed deeply, I crossed my arms before speaking, "I know you're mad. But I have to do this...there is no other option! Now move." I got close to him but looked over his shoulder, I didn't make eye contact with him. He didn't move a muscle, he was like a statue. I looked up in his eyes without moving my head and clenched my teeth, "Move."

I concentrated on his eyes heavily. After a few seconds he squinted them shut and groaned in pain. He covered his ears to try and make the excruciatingly high pitched ringing stop in his head. He doubled over, I walked past him into the bedroom and relaxed my mind. Doing so, I could hear James take a deep breath and shift on the ground. I looked down at him while grabbing my duffle bag off of the bed.

"I can do the thing, too." I retorted. I walked out of the room and down the stairs, put on my 'happy mom' face and knelt down in front of my kids. They thought it was the coolest thing that I got to go on a mission without James. It wasn't something they were used to, and honestly I am a little butthurt that they don't get upset in the slightest when I leave like they do with James.

"Are you going to save people mommy?" Paisley asked. Her big smile showed off her dimples that were so prominent that even when she talked without smiling, you could see them.

"I'm going to try," I smiled back at her. I looked at Jackson and he touched his hand on my crystal, it started to glow. He only touched it for a couple seconds before snatching his hand back to his side. He had enchanted the crystal as much as he could for extra protection.

"I love you buddy." I pulled them both in and kissed their heads. I inhaled their scent and closed my eyes. I haven't gone on a mission by myself without James in a long time.

"We gotta go," I heard Harlow say from the front door. I will say, I am glad I have my girls with me. I think that our husbands forget that we can handle ourselves without them, but I am nervous that there's a part of us that forgot that, too. It's been so long that it has been just us three, are we rusty? The last time we fought something together was when we had to find James and capture him. That was one of the most stressful missions we have ever done together, and who would have thought that I would marry the man who nearly killed me?

It just dawned on me how absolutely insane I actually sound admitting that.

I smiled at my babies one last time and stood up with my bag in my hand. I gave Harlow a hopeful look and a half smile. Just as I made it to the door, a lovely metal arm blocked the doorway and made me jump because it scared me. I grunted and glared at James's face. "Don't make me -" I started to argue, I could feel the blood boiling under my skin. I was not afraid to hurt his brain a second time.

"Shut up," He interrupted me before giving me a long kiss. He rested his forehead on mine, he was still heavily against the idea of me leaving. I pushed his arm down and pulled away from him. I rubbed his cheek with my hand and walked out of the house.

Lena was in the car waiting for us. I threw my bag in the back of Lena's black 1967 Chevy Impala. We used to do hundreds of missions in this bad boy, she was our favorite get-away car and Lena's most prized possession. It is always kept in the best condition and it seems like it's brand new. We have driven it all across the United States and honestly for as bad as she gets beat up I am really surprised that she looks as great as she does. I hopped in the back while Harlow sat in the passenger seat. Lena turned halfway to face us both before she raised her eyebrow at me.

She looked at Harlow before speaking, "Did they do the thing?" She mocked me. I slouched and crossed my arms. "You guys are the only ones I know that will legitimately fight each other when you get mad." She turned back around and sped out of the driveway, you can hear the tires squealing on the pavement.

"Listen, I'm in the car which means that I won so that's all that matters...Lena I just got this driveway done!" I groaned at her while leaning my head back in my hands. I could hear Harlow laughing in the passenger seat as she turned the volume up on the radio. She specifically turned on Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas. It felt like the old days, we were so young and carefree. And honestly, we were pretty kick-ass. The energy in the car was high and we were feeding off of it, I smiled at them both as I put my sunglasses on.

This is going to either be one of the greatest missions we have ever done, or one of the worst. And frankly, I am really hoping it's not the worst.