I Am Number Four

Chapter Twenty-One: The Beginning

Staring at the scene before her, Avalon took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tears that burned her eyes; she had to look away when Sam approached her knowing that there was nothing that could be done.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked standing next to Avalon, he still couldn't believe what was happening and he was worried about what would come next since Henri clearly wasn't going to make it.

The wound that he had been given was a serious one and nothing that they had tried seemed to stem the bleeding but it was too late when they had finally escaped the Mogadorians.

Avalon nodded watching as John lowered Henri to the ground by the tree line of the forest; they hadn't wanted to risk heading back to the house where Camden, Mason and Leila waited for them.

The last thing that they needed was to lead the Mogs anywhere near where they were hiding out, they were going to have to flee for their lives and Avalon doubted that they would ever see Paradise, Ohio again.

Sam nudged Avalon making her jump slightly as John signalled for her to come to him; she approached the scene before her warily, she knew that this wasn't going to be easy.

"I'll be fine," Henri choked smiling at the pair, while Avalon felt her tears start to pour and John moved to comfort her; she couldn't believe that her vision had come to pass and that Henri was now dying because of them.

Henri sighed before looking at the bonded pair before him, he had never thought that he would see the day that they actually had hope of returning home and a future for their lost planet.

The fact that John and Avalon had managed to form a bond had given him such strong hope for the future, they were so few in numbers yet seemed able to grow in strength each day.

"There is some much I still needed to teach you, both of you," Henri whispered weakly making the pair look at him before John shook his head; he didn't want to believe that his Cêpan wasn't going to make it.

They had come so far in the past few months and everything had been getting better for them, they had even started to plan for the future instead of constantly running for their lives all the time.

Avalon closed her eyes, they had exhausted all their options and she wished that there was something that she could say that would make this right; she hated that her visions seemed to end this badly when they needed hope.

"Call Leila," John ordered making Avalon look at him surprised, then she shook her head; he wanted Leila to use her healing legacy but it would be too late to save Henri even if they called her.

Henri groaned realising what would happen if John ever learnt that Avalon knew this would happen; John wasn't likely to take the news well and would probably turn against his mate if he learnt that she knew.

"Listen to me you are stronger together. The two of you can help the other of minor injuries," Henri said turning their attention from one another back to him, there wasn't a lot of time left and he had some important information to pass to them before he died.

Henri took a deep breath trying to keep himself conscious, he had been hoping to keep this quiet for a while longer but they didn't have time and he knew that this was the last thing that he could do for them.

"There isn't much time, find the other Garde; there should be eighteen of you, give or take those who have been killed. Stop the Mogadorians from taking over Earth and return to Lorien," Henri instructed trying to ensure he told them everything they needed to know before he died.

Avalon felt John take her hand as if trying to draw strength from the fact that she was standing next to him; she squeezed his hand in comfort as they watched Henri sadly, it broke both their hearts to see him like this.