A Price Worth Paying

Chapter Thirty-one, Aftermath.

AFTERMATH

Sang was drained. She could barely summon enough energy to pet Xavier.

Sean took one look at her and stopped the film. Sounding stunned for some reason he simply told her she was having a sleep for an hour, and they could finish the remaining part of the film when she was awake if she wanted.

Without discussing it he simply picked her up and took her to Victor's room. She didn't notice the look the two men shared, she was already too far gone.

Owen nodded his head wearily, just watching his cat race after his best friend, who was taking his family's heart with him.

Throwing his head back against the edge of the lounge, all he could think was 'what a shit storm this is going to cause.' He would never voice that aloud, but it was reverberating through his mind continuously as Sean came back sans Xavier.

"Owen, this is going to cause a shit storm with the boys. You do know that right?"

He just looked at Sean with a raised eyebrow. Sean grinned tiredly and murmured "Well, at least we're on the same page. And, did you also see what I saw. That wasn't me imagining things?"

"No Sean. I saw it too. That was definitely Dr Roberts standing in that doorway watching as Sang ran towards the flag pole. I nearly missed it myself, I was so focused on watching her."

Fishing his phone out of his pocket Sean said "I'm ringing Phil for confirmation. I'm sure he would remember that kind of performance."

Owen closed his eyes again thinking hard. Listening to Sean a little he tried to work out the best way to handle the boys' reactions, to finding out that Sang was even more brilliant than any of them had realised and a lot more intrepid.

He knew he had get his own reaction sorted in his head before he could begin to help his family. Especially Kota.

Of them all he knew he would be the one who would have trouble accepting that Sang's capabilities were immeasurable. He would see her as completely reckless and his protective instincts would go into overdrive. Particularly when he counted how many times Miss Sorenson climbed or jumped off any surface higher than her own height, and he would.

Grimacing to himself he had to admit that it was a lot.

Additionally, every one of the boys would be concerned with what happened afterwards. It was bothering him too, and he couldn't seem to stop his own feelings of protectiveness toward Sang.

"Well, Phil is in shock," Sean said, putting his phone away, and interrupting his train of thought, "but he does remember that day. He kept an eye on the 'little firework' as he called her at the time. After he heard her talking about the plan she had made to get a flag. He spotted her jumping the first roof and exiting the building also. Said she didn't appear to miss a shot. He ended up with a pink chest on her way through." Sean grinned. "Apparently they were testing new detection technology. Which is why he was there. He noticed her accuracy. Now he wants to see the footage."

"That's up to Sang."

"Hm, I told him that. He won't insist. He's kicking himself he didn't make the connection until I rang. Although she was wearing a bandana herself and safety glasses, and a different name didn't help."

"Apparently, absolutely everyone there called her Rose. No one knew any different. Helps with her ghost bird status, but we may have avoided this situation somewhat if we'd known of her history."

"He spoke to her grandparents quickly on their way down to her at the flagpole. Said it was apparent in that short time how proud they were of her. How much they cared. He spoke to them and Sang briefly during lunch. He can remember this little live wire laughing and saying she had had so much fun. Wasn't bothered by the fact she had set a new course record. She was more pleased her Plan had worked."