The Search for Angelo's Story

Part 7

  "What!?" Angelo asked in shock. He took a step back and looked at Jane with disbelief. She sighed and said "yes, it's true. And I knew all this time as well". "Why would you tell me this now? After all this time?" Angelo asked. "Because I didn't know how to confront you" she said. "Father, did you know about this?" Angelo asked Harold. "Well I knew that your mother was gone, but I didn't know she was behind closing the lab. I was shocked to see her standing there when she came in the day you fell". "So that's why you asked if it was really her who closed the lab that day" Rachel said "because you couldn't believe it was her...". "I had no idea that she went off to become a commander" Harold continued. "Why?" Angelo asked, facing Jane. "Why did you leave then?" "Because I figured I wouldn't be a sufficient amount of help in taking care of you. I wasn't cut out for slowing down and stopping my fast paced life for a child. It may sound selfish but it isn't. I still worked in the government back then. I might've not been a commander but I was still an agent at S.U.N. They really needed me and for me to stop then, it wouldn't have worked" she said. "You could have tried" Angelo said looking her up and down quickly in a sort of disgust. He then turned around walked out of the room. Into the garden in the back. The group looked around at each other then looked at Jane. Rachel and Marlina looked at her with disappointment while Violet and Jericho had serious expressions, almost disgust. She crossed her arms then glanced at Harold. He didn't look at her as he had a sadish expression looking to the floor. "Marlina, would you go talk to Angelo, please?" Rachel whispered to her daughter with a hand on her shoulder. She nodded and made her way to the door. Leaving the others with Jane.

  Marlina opened the door slowly, peeking her head in slightly the wider she opened the door. As the garden became clearer to see, she saw Angelo sitting on one of the benches. He was leaned forward resting his arms on his knees, letting his hands hang off them as he was looking up at the sky. She gave a worried smile but then relaxed her expression slightly and made her way to him. She sat next to him quietly then looked his way. He was still looking up. Marlina decided to do the same and looked up. They stayed in that understanding quiet for a while when she said "how do you think Chaos is doing?". She could tell that caught his attention even though he didn't move from how he was. "You know, all stars have their own solar systems. Ours is called the Solar system because that's the name of our star, the Sun. But Chaos isn't named "Sun" or "Solar" now is it? So it's system would technically be called the Chaos system" she giggled a little then said "isn't that kinda funny?" Angelo didn't respond for a while. Marlina leaned in a little closer to him with a smile, waiting amusingly for a response. He glanced his eyes at her then back up at the sky. She nudged his shoulder with hers to get him to do something. She then did it a second time and this time finally got a response. He laughed lowly while lowering his head and nudged her back lightly. "Alright alright" he said. She laughed. "That is interesting when you think about it" Angelo said squinting to the sky. Marlina smiled at him while he turned and smirked at her when his expression then turned solemn again. He turned his head to look down to the floor and sighed. Her expression slightly glumed as well. "Why do things have to be so complicated with my life? My past?" Angelo asked. Marlina sighed and said "I don't know. That's just how it has to be I guess". They both stayed quiet for a moment. "But hey, everything always turns out better in the end. It always does. Just like when we found each other again? That's how it's gonna be now" she said. "We all drifted apart after what happened. Me with Violet and Jericho. We didn't have as much contact as we did before what happened with the lab. I just couldn't. But when I met you again, we all reunited" Angelo said thinking back. "And this big friendship that we all have with each other is the good thing that came out of that. And with this situation, something good will come out of it too." "Like what?" "A mother". They paused for a moment "well... A new relationship at least" Marlina said, not wanting the previous comment to be too strong. Angelo looked at her with a firm expression. She did the same. "I know a lot has happened to you. But we just have to keep moving forward to find... a bright side to this dark moment" She said resting her palm on the top of his hand as he had it tense on the bench. He relaxed a little as he recalled where she got that from. She gave him a reassuring look. "With me, your father, Violet, Jericho, and my mother, we can all do this together. Don't let this be harder on you then it has to" she said lifting her hand from his. "Alright" he said as he gave a nod. They both stood up then but before they walked back, Angelo said "thanks". Marlina smiled and said "you're welcome".
 
Meanwhile, all was silent in the hallway where they all stood waiting. "So, you're the ones Angelo has been hanging around with and not to mention my future recruits" Jane said suddenly "aren't you too young to have white hair young lady?" "It's a style!" Violet exclaimed "isn't your hair too long for you to be leaving it white? At least I have some color in my hair and don't older women with white hair usually cut it short?" They glared at each other shortly. She was about to say something more until she remembered what happened when she first encountered Marlina.  Violet knew it could've gone better. And can't help but think back to it at times and cringe slightly in embarrassment. Without letting anyone see or know of course. So she let it go. "You know if you're going to be a part of my agency you're going to have to improve that attitude of yours. Especially towards me". Violet wasn't planning on responding but somebody else did. "Hey don't talk to her like that" Jericho stated suddenly "Violet is a great person and a fine recruit. You'd be lucky to have an agent like her work for the likes of you". "Fine then, I'll just see about that! And I'll be keeping an eye on you as well" Jane said. Violet just looked on in shock and actually some amazement. Did Jericho really just say that? She then looked up at him. He looked back at her with a serious and reassuring expression. He gave a nod and a small smirk then. She smirked and nodded back in a sort of thanks. Right then, Marlina and Angelo walked to them side by side. Violet noticed them and walked to them. Jericho followed. They walked to the other adults together and stopped when they were close enough. Angelo took a step forward from his friends to face Jane. Violet took a step closer to Jericho nervously then looked up at him. He looked back at her and nodded assuringly as Marlina just stood there with her hands clasped together expectantly. Waiting to see what was going to happen. "I can't forgive you for what you have done" Angelo began "but if you're this stubborn and set on having me and my friends... Fine".

  Violet put a hand on her hip smiled and nodded. Jericho crossed his arms and smirked and Marlina brought her clasped hands up to her cheek, sighed and smiled. "Alright" Jane said with a nod "I hope we can also use this time to get to know each other better". "Don't think this means I'm going to consider you my mother from now on" Angelo said with his arms crossed and eyes closed. Jane paused a moment but then gave an understanding nod "understood" she said "to tell you the truth, I don't consider you my son. Not yet anyway. This will take some time but... I do hope it will work out". Angelo opened his eyes to look at her. She had her hand out in front of her. "Understood... And I do too" he said as he took her hand and gave one firm shake. "If you try enough, I don't know. Maybe what I think of you will change" he said while letting go. "Maybe it will" she said understandingly "and maybe my opinion of you will change as well". "Angelo!" Marlina exclaimed suddenly. He turned around surprised but then was faced with another one of her hugs. She wrapped her arms around his neck excited and caringly. He rolled his eyes amused then awkwardly hugged her back as he always did. She pulled Violet in too while she grasped Jericho as they all got in a short hug. They disbanded as Harold and Rachel made their way to them. "You're doing good, Angelo. Make this all worth while, for all of you" Rachel said. He nodded to her then turned to his father. "My boy, you're going to do great things. I know it". "This won't be my priority" Angelo said "I can assure you of that. I'll always be here, father as I always have" Harold smiled and patted his back firmly a few times. "I'm so proud of you, my son. So so proud. Making great decisions for yourself and others... Takes a big step". As this was going on, Jane was watching it all with her arms crossed. She wasn't a part of that, she knew, not yet anyway. But she knew that someday, she could be.

  They talked amongst themselves for a short while. "Your boy is going to do great things. I know it" Rachel said to Harold. "Same goes for your girl, Rachel" he said. She blushed at what he said. Just imagining her daughter doing great things alongside a successful group of friends just as she did made her proud enough to become flushed and took it as a great compliment to her mothering skills. "Will you be alright to do this?" Angelo asked as Marlina held his arms and he held hers "Of course I will, Angelo. I'm ready for anything. Will you?" She said. He smirked then. "yes" he said with a nod. "Hey, Jericho. Did you really mean all that stuff you said before?" Violet asked "Well  of course. Why wouldn't I? It's the truth about you and about all of us" he said. Violet smiled and gave him a short hug then began to walk away. Jericho smirked. He then continued to follow her to the rest of the group. Jane shook her head to stop her thinking and stepped up to them. "Of course before we can start, you'll all have to go through some training" she said. They all looked her way. Angelo nodded. Then they did the same.