The Boy In The Snow

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Jack swung his weapon, killing a nameless man whom he fought. He let a burst of ice out, knocking down several people. The forces were thinning.

Eventually, most of them retreated and ran off. Except a few.

They were mainly doing cleanup, knocking down the last few individuals and wiping the sweat from their brow when they heard Amber scream.

She lay on the ground, bleeding.

Amber couldn't die from a stab wound or a gunshot, due to her healing regeneration, which confused Jack, because he had seen her heal before.

It was quick and she was back on her feet within minutes. He heard Margaret curse and run to her. April and Theo finished off the last of the people dressed in black and they ran to her side.

Lance was already there.

"What happened?" April demanded,

"I told her not to... I said it was a bad idea..." Margaret whimpered.

"Margaret." Jack claimed, grabbing her arm and trying to calm her down. "What happened?"

"I learned how to make a potion that extracted a person's powers. Amber wanted some so badly. She said how messed up it was that she had to live through all this trauma and stuff." Margaret sped through the words. "So I gave her some two nights ago..."

April hugged her.

"It's okay... It's not your fault." April insisted.

"Amber..." Lance choked out. She smiled up at him.

"Did I ever tell you how pretty your eyes were?" She asked in a dazed tone. Lance smiled through the tears ripping down his face, washing away the dirt and blood.

"It's okay Amber. We're gonna get you up and taken to a doctor." Lance assured her. Theo put his arm around Jack. The room was silent, somewhere, Angel was fighting her father, but now, Amber was important.

"No Lance..." Amber insisted.

"We have to." Lance replied, starting to pick her up.

"No!" She used a large heap of energy to shout at him. He set her back down. "This is where I go."

"I love you Amber." Lance stated.

"We all love you." Theo told her.

"I love you guys too." She smiled. "Lance. I'm sorry that I never answered you. But I love you, and that's all I need you to know."

Lance sobbed, and kissed her knuckles against his lips.

"Margaret. You're incredible. Thank you for helping me. I'm glad life dealt you a second chance because you deserved it." She said, coughing every now and then. Lance was trying to keep pressure on the wound. She seemed to be doing alright, but she clearly didn't have a lot of time on her hands.

"Theo. You aren't weird. You're excellent. I appreciate everything you do. Thank you for always having my back."

Theo smiled and bumped fists with her one last time.

"April. I know sometimes we didn't get along, but you are one of the funniest, wittiest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I think you're wonderful."

April bit her lip and smiled at her.

"And Jack. I'm sorry for everything. I hope you know how lucky you are to be so in love. So love that girl until you die, because she deserves it. Tell her that." Amber finished. Jack was trying not to cry, but he let it go. He smiled at the girl who he danced with on his first night at Namour, who now lay in her best friends arms, bleeding on the floor.

Jack could almost feel his heart aching.

Amber coughed, blood escaping her throat. Things were looking grim.

"I'll be with my dad." She sighed with haze in her voice. Lance held her close, as if he hugged her long enough she would heal herself again.

"Tell him we say hi." April told her. Amber nodded and smiled.

She sat up, and whispered something in Lance's ear.

Then she kissed him,

Laid back down,

And closed her eyes.

April and Theo knelt down to feel her pulse which was nonexistent. Lance stood up slowly.

"What did she say?" Margaret asked.

"Orange..." Lance said meekly. You could almost hear the pain in his voice.

Jack felt tears on his face as he hugged Lance tightly.

~

After folding Amber's hands on her chest, the kids made their way upstairs to find Angel.

They located her just in time for the final part of the battle.

"-be my daughter once again?" Daniel offered her.

They stood back, crouched behind the wall. Angel not Daniel had seen them.

Angel was silent for a long moment.

"I'm sorry Dad." She stated. With force, Angel drove her knife between Daniel's ribs and he called out in pain.

Jack got to his feet as Daniel screamed and brought the sword swinging at Angel's neck.

She had planned this out. She had calculated the risks and the cost.

Angel had come here to kill her father, and was going to do it even if she died as well.

She hadn't calculated Jack though.

He wasn't sure what he did, but he threw his hands forward and screamed. It took all of his energy and strength.

A flash of white nearly blinded him, and the force threw him on to his back.