Riley

Chapter 53

Peter POV
After Riley has filled him in on what happened since we last saw him. He sits on the floor in front of us cross legged with Damon and Lorraine to his left, while Riley and I sit on the couch.

The table was moves so that we all can sit and talk. "So you mean to tell me. " He rubs his temple. "that all of you have been staying in my house?"

"Yeaaaa." Riley says kind of nervous. "Ours was broken into and we have no wer-" he cuts her off

"Oh I know. you told me what happened to the house remember. " He nods at her. "But all, of you have been staying here. " He emphasizes all and looks in my direction.

"Granddad!" Riley says shocked. "Don't be so mean. Peter has saved my life countless times and I don't know if I would have made it without him to be honest. "

"Okay." he grins. "I'll let up. " He chuckles to himself. "A little bit."

I offer my most friendly grin at him. He rolls his eyes at me.

"Well I am glad that you all are okay. Thank you. " He says seemingly at me.

"Are you talking to me?" I ask. Was he just remotely nice and saying thank you for ensuring the safety of his beloved granddaughter?

"Yes, boy! I don't like repeating myself. " He snaps.

"Your welcome. " I mumble.

"Lorraine dear." he turns to her and asks oh so nicely. "Could you get me some water?"

"Sure dad. " she stands and Damon also stands.

"No you can sit. " He demands. "You don't have to follow her around like some lost puppy. "

"Okay. " He looks at Damon once the kitchen faucet runs. . "You better be treating my daughter right. Or else it will be in, you and me. and don't think for a second that just because I'm an old man, I can't whoop your ass. "

Damon stairs back at him shocked.

"Here you go dad. " Lorraine hands him the cup and sits back down.

Damon still looks shocked and Lorraine turns and looks at him. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies. "

He snaps his mouth shut and granddad grind to himself. Wow, is my only impression of him.

"Anyways. I suppose you all can stay here until things get handled. Lorraine are you handling things and getting together a new home?" He asks

"Yes, I am on it. I'm thinking about moving here to be closer to you. "

They share a secret look.

"Okay. But don't think that you will be stopping in on my everyday. " He tells her

"No body wants to be around you all the time like that anyways dad. " She bursts into laughter.

Riley leans her head on my shoulder. Her granddad looks at the contact but Riley doesn't move.

"Well, I am going upstairs. You all are boring me. " He declares while getting up and heading upstairs which makes Riley burst into laughter.

"Peter. " He calls. "Come up. I wanna talk to you for a second."

Riley looks up at me with concern. Why did he want me to hop all the way up the stairs to talk. If he's going to threaten me about Riley, I really don't want to hear it. At all. But I get up and hobble my up the stairs.

He sits on the edge of his bed when I find him and he just stairs at me for a second.

"Close the door, son. " He says sadly.

I swallow hard but hop to close the door like directed. I try to hop and sit near him but he tells me that I can stand.

My lips press into a thin line. My leg hurts and he want me to stand. Well okay then. I try to keep my temper.

"Look if this about Riley, I love her and would never mistreat her in any way. " I clarify rolling my eyes.

"I know that." He says genuinely, catching me off guard.

"You do?" I ask raising a brow.

"Yea...and don't catch an attitude with me boy. I'll kick your ass too. " He frowns. "You young fellows just don't know. "

"Yea well..." I say. My temper raising again.

"My wife..." He starts. "God bless her soul. " His voice cracks and my attitude softens. No longer angry in the least. This man is hurting internally. "How did you get that bullet wound In you leg. I want to know the truth. " he asks changing the subject.

He looks up at me with the eyes of a wise man. It's like he already knows the truth. I stand still but nervously.

"Michael shot us bot-" he cuts me off

"I don't believe you. " He says making me pause.

"What do you mean, 'you don't believe me.' What else could have happened?"

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant. I don't believe you. " He sighs. "Let me tell you what I really think happened. I think he shot Riley, and you felt it. Thus giving you the exact same wound that she has in her leg. "

I stand there absolutely stupefied. How would he have known that?

"Now tell me, how did you meet Riley. And don't lie to me. "

I lick my lips. My throat suddenly dry. I find the voice to speak.

"I felt this pull in my heart...leading me to Riley's home. I scaled the side of the house and hid in her closet. I didn't want to wake her. Then she woke and found me and ...that's how we met. "

He looks in both my eyes.

"I see your capable of telling the truth." I'm slightly insulted that he said this. "You two were inseparable since, right?

I nod slowly

"My wife was the same way. " He looks down into his lap and fold his hands before looking back up.
"She told me she followed the pull in her heart. Then after that it was a wrap, we were In love. Any serious pain that I felt, she could feel it also it was a serious injury. "

He pauses.

"I figured that if I died, she would also die, since she felt the same things that I did. " His eyes watered up. "I thought it would be the other way around also. But it wasn't. " He sniffles. "Turns out, I could live when she died. "His voice cracks again.

" I can get you tissues if you want. " I asked him gently.

"No. I have to get this out. " He wipes his eyes. "You are to Riley, what my wife was to me. She had no idea where she had come from, but she had the pull in her heart that knew where to lead her. " He sniffles. "She was also incredibly inhumanly fast and strong when I was in danger. So strong. " His voice cracks. "Then she learned to control her powers and use them so that I don't have to be in danger for them to be used. " He blinks. "You can get that way too." He searches my eyes " Just a little bit of practice. " his voice barely above a whisper.

He looks down at his hands. This man was grieving the loss of his wife. If she is like me then how did she die?

"How did she pass? If she was like me, or if I'm like her. Then things shouldn't have hurt her unless they hurt you." I ask cautiously.

He laughs a truly sad laugh. "She had cancer." he shakes his head. "She had those powered and was my invincible woman. But cancer, flipping cancer! Got her. " He balls up his fists.

Okay. So I'm here literally to be the love of Riley's life. That's a comforting thought to know that I am made only for Riley.

I can die if she dies and also of human diseases, I suppose.

"Thank you for telling me. " I say. I'm truly grateful. "I'll leave you in peace now. " I start to retreat but his voice stops me.

"Peter, I only told you. Because I'm dying. I have cancer, final stage. "