Setting Fire to the Stars (a MM Sci-Fi Romance)

Chapter 27: Lucy

**Please note: this chapter contains profanity, mentions of past bullying, and a dash of physical violence.**

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Peter
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". . . Lucy?"

The petite brunette slowly came into view. Lucy was just as I remembered her, from the splash of freckles scattered across her cheeks to her doe eyes. Yet at the same time, she was a complete stranger. Gone were the chubby cheeks and messy fingers full of play-dough and in their place was a young girl on the cusp of womanhood.

Ebony lashes batted as she smiled. "It really is you. Peter, oh my God, I can't believe it."

It took some effort to shutter my expression against the wild whirlwind of emotions. Lucy was the younger sister I'd never had, sticking to me like butter on toast every time I came over to their house. She was a kid who loved bugs and insisted that the entire rainbow was her favorite color. I could barely believe how much she had changed since the last time we'd seen one another. How she looked so much like Lauren. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Well," Lucy's voice jolted me from my inner torrent, holding her arms out to me. "Aren't you going to give me a hug?"

A beat of silence followed before I forced a smile. "Yeah."

Awkwardly, I crouched down and enveloped her in a hug. Her small hands met my back and I couldn't help but notice just how frightfully fragile she felt in my arms. A few moments into our embrace, I cleared my throat and tentatively drew back. "It's . . . really good to see you, Lucy. How are you?" Shit, my voice was cracking again and I had to swallow past the hard lump in my throat when my gaze dropped. "Your legs . . ."

Lucy smiled as she regarded her lower extremities with a light pat. "Oh, they're not so bad. Sure, they hurt some days more than others, but I'm doing fine, really."

Rather than reassuring me, an uncomfortable ache pulsed through my chest and I pitched my eyes to the ground.

My last visit was the day before Lauren had come out to me. She had recently been diagnosed with MS and started a new treatment earlier that week. Even though Lucy had looked so small and exhausted, she was one hell of a fighter. She went as far as to run to me at the door and throw herself into one of her usual rib-crushing hugs. At the time, I was positive that her sunny attitude reflected that she was doing better. It never occurred to me until just now, but I had left that day without knowing that it would be the last time I would visit. Hadn't even bothered to say a proper goodbye.

"Hey, um—" Lucy's nervous tone snatched back my attention to see her anxiously wringing her hands in her lap. "—have you heard from Lauren at all? We haven't been able to contact him since the day of the attack. I figured you might know where he is since you guys are good friends."

My stomach plummeted, her words like a punch to the gut. I was reminded of her brother's absence and how useless I was during his abduction. How could I tell her that her brother was missing?

On top of that, the adoration I saw in her eyes told me all I needed to know. Lucy was unaware of how I had treated her brother for the last couple of years. After the time I spent harassing Lauren and hurting him for my own selfish ambitions, how could I stand to pretend like nothing happened?