Anita

Short Part 1

A/N I've been trying to finish up some projects I started years ago and found this in my drafts. I remembered the concept I wanted to do here, so figured I would finish it up. There will be 3 parts. This is just a short story, so it does jump around a little. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Happy endings don't last forever.

It's been 10 years since the Guardians lobbied for rights and won, and Anita and Meriam have been living the dream. But when the Hayes turn down the government's requests for further testing, everything goes downhill.

When Anita's case file is leaked to the public, authorities have no choice but to act and Guardian rights are quickly thrown back under fire. To save her family Anita must once again confront corrupt officials, but this time it's not her freedom on the line, it's her life.

~~~

"Death Bringer!" Diaxel cried out the name of his stallion and galloped off, swinging an imaginary sword at foes only he could see. The black horse reared on his hind legs when he pulled the reins and Anita felt Meriam tense beside her.

"He's going to fall off," Meriam fussed, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"He'll be fine." Anita hefted herself up onto the fence, watching him run the horse through a series of jumps. "Death Bringer is a good horse," she said wryly, internally cringing at the name her son had picked for the beast.

Horseback riding had been Meriam's idea, after seeing how mopey he'd gotten once classes had started. They'd homeschooled him for the most part, but they'd felt it was time for him to get a real childhood and meet other children.

It'd only taken a few days for him to start complaining and moping around the house, though he wouldn't say why. Not that they couldn't guess. Anti discrimination laws meant little to children.

He'd picked up riding fast once they'd gotten the special saddle and riding gear made for him, so his crystals wouldn't hurt the horse, and they'd been coming out almost everyday for him to ride and brush his horse.

Evidently having vanquished his foes, Diaxel urged Death Bringer back to where they waited, slowing to a trot when he got close.

"Done already?" Anita asked, sliding from her perch and helping him down.

Diaxel squinted at the plastic watch on his wrist, "It's been an hour, DB needs a break. And we were going to watch that movie, remember?"

"Right," Anita agreed, nodding at the stableman who took the saddle off the horse. "Go finish up then, we'll meet you in the car."

He took off after the stableman and Meriam smiled, shaking her head slowly. "He has so much energy."

"That's children for you." Anita watched him race away before walking back to the car. Stretching her arms over her head, Anita yawned.

"Tired already?" Meriam teased. "You can't fall asleep now, you promised you'd watch a movie with him. And you know how upset he gets when you fall asleep on him"

Anita laughed and rubbed her forehead. "I can't help it, we've watched the same movies over and over again. It's going to drive me mad. I've tried getting him into new ones but he won't entertain the idea that something could be better than X-men."

"Give it time, he'll find something new to torment you with." Meriam wrapped her arms around Anita's waist and rested her head on the Guardian's shoulder.

"That's not reassuring." Anita spun around and scooped the human up in her arms, earning her a squeal of protest.

"Put me down!"