The Book of Abbadon

Four Percent

The cruiser is dark and silent as dawn starts to break over the horizon. It's been a long night, and you're still at the window thinking about seeing your long lost wife again after all this time.

As you admire the beauty of Aria's sunrise, you can hear a door open and close in the hallway. Shortly afterwards, you hear Tom's voice from behind you.

" 'Morning, Donny. "

Tom says as he yawns before approaching you at the window.

" You're still standing here, huh? "

You take a deep breath before you respond to him.

" Yeah... Just thinking about Ariel. I don't know if I'm ready to see her again... What if she doesn't remember me? What if she's moved on? "

Tom gently puts his hand on your shoulder as he reassures you.

" I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around how she ended up in Voldoor as well, but when we see her, I'm sure she'll still love you just as much as she did before. Knowing Ariel and who she was, she would never seek someone else after you, even after all this time. The love that you two shared was unlike anything that I've ever seen in all of my time within existence. Both of you would rather die alone than be with someone other than each other. "

Your eyes begin to water and Tom turns you towards him and wipes the tears from your face before giving you a hug. Your heart aches and you sob silently in Tom's embrace before he continues speaking to you.

" You're a good man, Abbadon, and when we see her again, I'm gonna be right beside you. Getting you back was a pretty big deal for me, and I'm sure getting Ariel back is going to feel the same. "

" Thank you, Tom. You're the best brother I could've ever asked for. "

You say to him as you let him go and wipe your face with your sleeve. Tom looks at you with a gentle smile before looking down the hallway towards the main area and asking you a question.

" You ready to go be with the others? "

You nod your head and you both begin to walk down the hallway into the main area of the cruiser. Once you both emerge from the hallway, you see Roary sitting on one of the couches eating a plate of pastries with sugar all over his face. You notice one of Gareth's clones standing next to him with a pink apron on pouring him some coffee and the remaining clones sitting at a table drinking coffee as well. Everyone immediately looks at both you and Tom as you enter the main room.

" GWOOD MWORNING!! "

Roary yells with his mouth full of food as he waves you. You and Tom both smile and look at each other before taking a seat on the other couches. Gareth's clone with the pink apron speaks up and asks you both a question.

" Breakfast? "

" I'm good. Thank you though. "

You respond to Gareth politely. Tom also shakes his head, refusing Gareth's offer. Tom then immediately takes note of Roary's behavior and asks him a question.

" Uhm... Roary? Aren't you supposed to be against Voldoorian cuisine and beverages because of the technology required to make them? You look like you're enjoying yourself a bit too much... "

Roary then grabs two more pastries and shoves them in his face before laughing and answering Tom with a full mouth.

" Hwey! Nwormally I'd bwe agwainst it, but after that bwig fwight, I rweally nweeded to eat swomething... "

Roary smacks his lips loudly and you try to hold back a laugh as you stare at his powder covered face while he tries to swallow all of the food that he crammed in his mouth. Finally he swallows the food and continues answering Tom.