This Reality

12: The Family

A/N
Hello,
This is kind of an emotional chapter. Enjoy!
Kori.

It's 7am. They are nearing the government building. The building where Astrid's parents are being kept and where Xavier is.

"Alright guys, we're about two hours away," announces Jax from the driver's seat.
Astrid swallows. She is nervous.
"Hey," says Tiger quietly, taking her hand, "it'll be okay."
Astrid sighs. "I don't know. What if they take me? What if we don't get there in time? What if my parents are-"
"Don't think like that," Tiger stops her. "If you think negatively it will only make things worse."

"Hey, um... Astrid?" Calls Milla from the front passenger seat.
"Yeah?" Answers Astrid.
"I gotta tell you something. Tiger, can we swap places for a bit so Astrid and I can talk?"
"Uh, yeah," replies Tiger and they switch.

Milla sits down next to Astrid in the back of the van while Tiger makes themself comfortable in the front seat.

"So..." begins Milla. "When you were in the room, you know, in the Leaders' headquarters, and you remembered us, um... did you ever wonder how you know us?
"Um... I, uh... no," replies Astrid, unsure. She just remembered someone with a gun, and a necklace, and a password. She didn't know where that memory came from though.
"Do you know my surname, Astrid?" Asks Milla quietly, after a pause.
She shakes her head in response.
"It's Penrose," says Milla. "Do you know your surname?"
Again, she shakes her head.
"It's Penrose."

What? She has the same surname as Milla? Are they related?

"It's not your real surname though. Your real surname is Smithson, which is your real parents surname. But your surname is legally Penrose. That's because... you have two sets of parents, Astrid. Your real parents and your adopted parents... me and Jax."

This takes a moment for Astrid to process. Milla and Jax are her adopted parents. Her real parents are locked up in the Leaders' government building. That's where they're headed now.

There is a pause.
"Why was I put up for adoption?" Astrid asks quietly.
"Your parents- your real parents- knew that it wasn't safe to live with them, because they knew that they could be taken away at any moment."
"How come I was taken away with them when they were arrested if I wasn't living with them?"
Milla sighs. "The Leaders unfortunately broke into your parents house and arrested them in the same week that you were visiting. You hadn't seen your parents for a long time so we organised for you to stay with them for a short while."

This takes a moment to be processed. "Okay. How did I remember Tiger? Why did I remember a person with a password?"
Milla takes a breath. "Do you know about Tiger being kicked out?"
Astrid nods.

"Well, when they had nowhere to go, they came to the Permitters. Jax and I adopted them too. Technically you two are adopted siblings. We all lived together for quite a few years.

"You had such strong memories of us that you remembered us even after being sedated and unconscious for five days in the room. You seem to have forgotten everything else, but you remembered us after all that."

Overcome with emotion, Astrid has to wipe away a small tear.
"Hey, why are you crying?" Milla asks softly.
"Oh it's nothing, I just... I never thought of you all as family before," she smiles.
Milla smiles back.
And they sit in peaceful silence.

"Alright people, we've got about an hour until we arrive." Calls Jax from the drivers seat. "Is everyone wearing warm clothes?"
"Yes," they all reply in unison.
Milla has returned to the front seat and is going over final arrangements with Jax. Tiger is talking to Astrid about their childhood before her parents' arrest.
"I remember the day I met you," they say thoughtfully, "I remember the first thing you said to me."
"What was that?" Asks Astrid curiously.
"You asked me if I was a boy or a girl. And I said neither. And you said "Good because girls can be annoying and I don't like boys!" You were about five at the time."
Astrid laughs. "I really said that?"
"Yeah, you did," smiled Tiger. "You were very accepting of my gender. So were Milla and Jax. I'm so glad I ended up with you guys," they sighed happily.

"Half an hour 'till we arrive!" Calls Milla from the front, who has taken over driving.
"Oh goodness," says Astrid nervously.
"Don't worry, I'm going to be with you the whole time," says Tiger, taking her hand. Astrid smiles at them, grateful for some reassurance, although she is still apprehensive nonetheless.

"The plan is simple," says Jax. "We simply find your parents and free them, and we kidnap Xavier," he explains.
What he is forgetting is that simple doesn't always mean easy.

"Right, we're here!"