Lightning Crashes 𖤐 Sam Winchester

Chapter Seventeen

WHEN THEY GOT back, Astra got out of the Impala when she spotted Themis crossing the street. Sam watched as she approached them.

"All right, we're here, start talking." Sam demanded as the three entered the house. Themis examined the living-room, noticing the different photos and decorations on the walls. She immediately focused on Astra's smile in each photo.

"Things are so different here from our world, Astrape." Themis said. "Here, everything is so bland, and dark. . . Our world so bright."

Astra entered the kitchen, watching as Miracle charged into the room with a bark. Themis's eyes widened, and she took several steps back.

"He's a dog, he's not going to hurt you."

Miracle sat before Themis and wagged his tail as he waited for her reaction. Themis reached out, flinching as the dog licked her hand.

"He's showing love."

Themis looked up at her. She watched her daughter as she poured tea into a glass, before grabbing a lemon from the fridge. She sliced the lemon, glancing over at her.

"Are you going to talk?" Astra asked.

Themis inhaled. "I'm sorry, it's just. . . You're so different."

"I wouldn't know." She said coldly. "Speaking of that, I want to know what happened. And I want the truth."

"So much happened, Astrape." She said quietly. "You weren't sent here by Zeus. . . It was me."

Sam looked at her. "You sent Astra to earth?"
She nodded. "Yes, because Zeus would have killed her if I hadn't done so."

Astra shook her head. "If you brought me to earth, why did you strip me of my power?"

Themis sat down on the couch as she folded her hands. "Zeus would have known where you were, if you had kept your power. You are his child, after all."

"Yeah," Astra said, taking a sip of her tea. "Thanks for that."

Sam leaned against the wall. "So, Zeus tried to kill Astra, and you stopped him by banishing her from your world. . . What happened, to make Zeus want to kill her?"

Themis seemed unprepared to tell the story, but if she wanted to make things right with her daughter, there was no other option.

"Zeus sent a man to Astrape and seduced her in order for Astra to open up to him. Astrape fell for it, and she told the man everything she felt about her father. Astrape wanted to run away, because of Zeus's wickedness and evil; and she wanted him to run away with her.

"It wasn't long until Zeus found out by searching the man's memory. Thus lead to Astrape's downfall, and her power grew stronger with the emotional stress and betrayal from both men. One night, Zeus cornered Astrape and tried to strip her of her power, to keep as his own. And then he would kill her.

"Zeus almost had it finished, but he didn't know that I was in that tower. I protected Astrape long enough to banish her from our world, where I knew she would be safe. Earth would cause her power to automatically disintegrate. And the quicker it did so, she was safe."

Astra stared at the woman as she tried to wrack her brain for any type of memory or thought. Sam looked over at Astra, his jaw clenched. Even in her own world, no one deserved Astra or her loyalty.

"Zeus sent a man to seduce his most pure child." Sam scoffed, scratching his jaw. "And no one has thought to end this son of a bitch? After everything he has done to your people? To your child?"

"It isn't as simple as you think, Samuel." Themis told him. "Zeus is the father of all. He controls everything. Believe me when I say, this is not the first time I've tried to stop him."

"Is he looking for me?" Astra asked.
"Currently, no." She said to her. "He gave in weeks ago. You're safe without your power, Astrape."

Astra crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to have some type of proof. So we know that you are telling the truth."

Themis stared at her. "You truly believe I'd lie to you? My daughter?"

She was silent.

"Your sister misses you, too." Themis mentioned.
Astra looked at her mother. "I have a sister?"

She nodded.

"Is there any way that I can get my memory back?" Astra asked.

Themis pursed her lips. "There is only one way, but it's a risk."

"What's the risk?" Sam asked.

"In the process of retrieving your memories again, it may be too much for your human mind to handle. It's like if you were to still have your powers as a human; it would consume you and kill you."

"How do we do it?"

Sam looked over at Astra. "Astra, you can't—"
"Sam, I know that things in my past were bad, but I have to remember." She said, looking up at him. "And even if I remember everything, it won't change how I feel about you. At all."

Sam shook his head as he stepped closer. "This isn't about that— It's about the risk of losing your life."

"Doesn't everything require risk?" She asked, smiling. "I believe that I can overcome it, and I can remember who I am."

Themis studied the chemistry between the two silently as she waited for their minor dispute to be over with. Sam eventually sighed and gave her a short nod.

Astra took a deep breath. "Okay, Themis. What do I have to do?"

She stood to her feet. "Is there a nearby sea?"

Sam rose a brow. "Uh, we have a river."
"Close enough."

"Wait, what does this have to do with anything?" Sam asked.

"I will need to perform a small ritual with the use of a water's current, if I am to give back Astra's memory."

Sam looked at Astra as she rubbed her face.

"All right, I'll do it."

Sam clenched his jaw. "Astra, can I talk to you a second, alone?"

Sam grabbed her hand and guided Astra into Sam's bedroom. He closed the door and turned around, watching as her large eyes met his own.

"Astra, do you know what you're about to do?" Sam asked her.

"No, I don't. That's the problem. If this is the only way to fix things—"
"But what if it isn't?" Sam asked her. "There could be another way."

"Sam, this is the only way we know of; and with my mother here, she can do the ritual." 

"It could kill you, Astra. This isn't going to be just a normal headache. This might end you entirely."

Astra wasn't changing her mind.

"I guess we'll have to find out."