Grandma and Google

Chapter 25 (Google POV)

"Sara, don't risk your life again. I don't know what I'd do if I really lost you this time," I say.

"I have to," Sara responds. "If I absorbed some of William's ability, maybe I can give it back."

"We don't know if we're safe from the Equalizers yet. What if they trap you in his head again?"

"Google, it will work. I will find a way to make it work."

She has a pleading look in her eyes. She is begging me to let her save William. But she's been a light to my life. She has made me happier than I've been in years. I would never forgive myself if I let her die. Not if I could do something to stop it.

"What if you accidentally give him all of your ability? That would kill you."

"That's a risk I have to take."

On a sudden burst of strength, Sara rolls her wings back into her shoulders and runs out of the room. She is undoubtedly about to look for William's room. I rush out after her. Maybe I can still talk her out of this.

By the time I catch up to Sara, she's reached William. She stops to look at him. He has an ability-enhancer hooked up to him like an IV. His chest rises and falls, shaking with each breath. His only hope is Sara restoring his ability. If he lives, she might die.

A few tears fall from Sara's eyes, but I don't think it's from looking at William. It's something internal. I approach her and rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Sara, please don't do this," I say quietly.

She faces me. "Google, I had a dream after you left. I wanted to save everyone so badly that I ended up saving no one. At least this way, someone will be saved."

"Sara, you've already saved someone. I doubt I would have ever experienced even the slightest bit of joy again if you hadn't come to Ventura at the beginning of the summer. That's why I don't want to lose you. If you were gone, I would--"

I stop, finally realizing what a selfish jerk I'm being. William is literally dying, and I'm trying to keep Sara from saving him. I can at least survive without her, even if it would simply be surviving.

"Don't worry Google, you're not a selfish jerk," Sara says, catching me off guard. She must have picked up on that with her empathy. "We're here because of your selflessness. You vowed you'd never fly again, but when it came to training me, you sacrificed that vow. We're going after the Equalizers because you want to protect others. You're worried about Jordan, and so you're putting everything aside to take down the Equalizers and get answers from Vanessa. That's the least selfish thing I've ever seen anybody do. If our roles were reversed and you were the one with the empathy, I know you'd try to save William, too. And I probably wouldn't want to risk losing you, either. But I have to do this."

In this moment, I realize that I have to let her do this, even if it means I could lose her. My eyes begin to fill with tears, but I fight the urge to let them fall.

"Go," I say. "Save William."

Sara faces William and closes her eyes. I bite my lip to keep myself from crying. It does no good. Tears stream down my cheeks as I watch Sara try to get back into William's head.

"Wait," Sara says. "There's something I need to do before I do this, in case I don't see you again."

"Sara, please don't make this harder," I answer, choked up.

"No, I need to do this." She turns to face me. "I love you, Google." Then she gives me a soft kiss on my lips.

"Sara, I love you, too," I say. I never thought I'd say those words to anyone.  After what happened with Vanessa, I never wanted to let anyone into my life. I didn't want to become close to someone, because I knew they would get wrapped up in all of the danger and risk of being like me. Then, when I met Sara, something changed. She tried to get close to me. She was genuinely concerned for me, even when I told her she was in danger. The whole time I was trying to save her, she was saving me.

"Please," I say. "Don't die in there. You changed my life--no, you did more than that. You saved it."

"I'll do everything I can," Sara replies.

I stand next to Sara with my arm around her as she tries to enter William's mind. Nothing happens for a while, but then she begins to fall. I catch her. I know she is in William's mind now.

I just hope she makes it out.