A Sandman's Reality: The Demi God Chronicles

Traps and Truths: 19

**Inside of Fletcher's bedroom**

Fletcher's mother was sitting next to his body on his bed, she was in deep thought, she refused to leave his side and she refused to lose hope. 

She vowed to never return to the dream world, but she was prepared to go there and get him, if it started to look like he wasn't coming back.

Someone was in the shadows at the door's threshold, waiting, watching.

Fletcher woke violently, his spirit finally reached his body, the process of relaxing into his body was always more difficult  when he was away for too long.

He shocked his Mother, she immediately pulled him into her embrace.

"Mom, I've only been gone for a few hours chill." He said.

"A couple hours, still too long."  She replied.

"Wow, lost track of time, sorry I scared you." Fletcher replied.

"Where is Emmett, is he alright?" She asked, her voice was laced with concerned, Emmett might have had a different family but she saw him as her second son and wanted to protect him just as much as she wanted to protect Fletcher.

"He's being held captive at Ezekiel's place, I'm going to get-"

A man gasped at the mention of Ezekiel's name, Fletcher noticed him and was immediately startled, his mother rarely had people over.

"Mom, who's that?" He asked standing defensively in front of his mother.

The man stepped into the light and Fletcher had to stop himself from gasping, the dark skin, slender, broad shouldered man looked very familiar to him.

"Gene." The man said as Sandy stood behind Fletcher she was full of nerves and excitement, she dreamed of the day he'd return, not for her sake, but his son's, she rested her hand on his shoulder.

"You're my.. I... I can't do this right now, I have to help my friend." Fletcher said stepping past his father.

Going through a million different emotions, while his heart beat out of order, without balance or coherence.

Julius stopped him as he was about to exit, he felt his hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Gene, your father has some important things to tell you." Sandy said.

"I don't care." He replied, he decided it was too late for anyone to come into his life, he was grown, he was about to leave high school and he was done wishing for a father figure.

"He might be able to help you save Emmett, just listen to him." Sandy replied.

"I know who Ezekiel is, and I can tell you where Emmett's father is." Julius said shocking Fletcher who looked into the man's eyes for the first time since he saw him.

"I'm listening." He replied, he tried to sound as indifferent as possible, he refused to let him believe the moment, their first meeting since he was a baby, meant something.

Julius told him the entire story of how he and August became friends, and how he helped cause the death of Emmett's mother.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Fletcher asked.

"Ask your mom."

"He's telling the truth." Sand said.

"If I was gonna lie I would have omitted the part where I caused the death of my best friend's wife."

"What's the Hive? How come I've never heard of it?"

"I can answer that," Sandy said taking his hands, "I neglected to tell you about them on purpose and kept all the books about them from you."