Calinthro (G/T)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jenny stared in total shock as a man's form stood in the center of the chalk pentagram. But this man was one she's seen in so many pictures. So many stories she heard about him and her mother before they disappeared. His chocolate brown eyes matched her own, and she could tell she had gotten more of his features than her mothers. "D...Dad?" She whispered, taking a step, though it was more of a stumble, backward.

Her father's eyes shifted to her, and they widened. "Jenny." He went to take a step forward, Derrick stopping him in his place. 

"Hang on there old man. We need answers before you get all sappy. Where's her mother? And why did you both just abandon her?" Derrick asked, an angry scowl on his lips.

"Old man?" Jenny's father mumbled softly before straightening himself out. "Though I suppose she's old enough now, she does deserve answers." He turned to face his teenage daughter. "Come with me to the Underworld. You and Derrick both. Then we can all talk. You, me, your mother, and this ex-Calinthro here." 

"Wait, Jenny. This could be a trick, you know the way my kind-" Derrick paused his speech and let out a low chuckle. "The way their kind work. It might be a trap to get you back in the Underworld."

Jenny stood in silence, her eyes darting back and forth between her new boyfriend and her father. "I-I don't know what to do. I'd love to see mom, but I-I don't want to end up there again."

"I told you, both you and Derrick come. If I am lying, I am sure he will protect you with every last breath he has." The man muttered softly, his gaze fixated on the ground under his feet. "My name is Noah. My wife's name is Harriet. Though Jenny might already know this."

Derrick and Jenny were both silent, their eyes boring into each others. Each could tell the other was trying to see the other's decision. It went on for only a few seconds before Jenny broke the silence. "We'll go." Her brown eyes locked onto Noah's, a determined glint in the chocolate-colored orbs.

Noah looked back an forth between his daughter and the ex-Calinthro. He reached out, gripping both teens arms gently. "Hold on. Things will get a little bumpy. I've never transported two humans before."

Jenny prepared herself to black out. Sure enough, black and red spots began to cloud her vision, right before she felt her legs give out underneath her and everything went dark.

She awoke who knows how long after to the sound of whispers. She could hear a male and female voice. The male's voice was...Noah's, her fathers. That meant the female had to be her mom, right? Opening her eyes, Jenny looked around where she lay on a large pillow. Movement made her jump and whirl around to see Derrick laying beside her, his eyes closed. "He must still be out." She said in a whisper, turning to where she heard the whispers and sure enough there she saw them.

Her mother, looking only slightly older than when the pictures at her grandmother's house were taken. Beautiful, long blonde hair that went to her waist, pale eyes similar to those of her grandma's. "Mom." Jenny breathed out quietly, and Noah's now giant eyes turned toward her. 

"I see you are awake, but Derrick is not. Shall we wait, or do you want to talk now?" He said quietly, his dark brown eyes shifting between his wife and daughter.

"Now, please." Jenny stood from her spot and began to inch her way closer to her giant father and mother. "Wh-Why didn't you ever come for me? Wh-Why are you here, just why?" Her voice was almost pleading, her voice already cracking as she was almost on the verge of tears.

"Jenny. Your father and I didn't want to leave you. We would have never wanted to." Harriet stepped forward, embracing her teenage daughter in a gentle hug. Though she was surprised when she received a hug in return. 

"I walked as a human for too long," Noah explained with a heavy sigh. "I was tired. And when you were born, your mother still didn't know what I was. What I am. A demon. Had I stayed any longer, I surely would've been forced to this height on Earth." 

"Yes, so he brought me here so we could work on turning him back into a human. A real one. I was scared at first, I still am. I want to love him. I think I do, at least. It's all been so confusing these past sixteen years. You'd think I'd have learned by now but I haven't." Harriet continued to speak softly, tears welling in her own eyes. "S-So I suppose it's all my fault you've been alone. I'm so sorry sweetheart."

Only able to be silent, tears streamed down Jenny's cheeks. It took all her strength to talk. "I-It's not your fault. It took me a few months to find out I-I loved Derrick. I don't blame you at all. Granted, m-mine was only a few months, not sixteen years, b-but I understand."

Harriet and Noah looked at each other, both clearly unsure what to say. But then Noah broke the silence when he lifted Harriet from his bed and held her in his palm, looking down at the human with kind, caring eyes. "You know I love you. I've protected you, taken care of you for years. I even tell you I love you all the time. But you never say it in return. You do love me...don't you?"

Harriet kept her eyes fixed on her hands as tears continued to drip from her eyes. She knows she does. It's just been so hard to say it. Why she doesn't know. She feels she's nothing but a coward. "O-Of course I do." She whispered quietly, not looking up at her giant husband.

"You need to say it, my dear. Please. It's been years, just say it." Noah cooed in a gentle tone, using a finger to rub her arm delicately. 

Taking a deeper breath than she's ever taken before, Harriet closed her eyes and had to work up the courage for a few straight minutes. Finally, she opened her mouth and managed to stutter out the words he'd needed to hear for the past sixteen years. "I-I love you too."

Noah's smile widened, and he carefully gathered Jenny and the unconscious Derrick in his empty palm. He closed his eyes as his legs began to tingle. "And that's all I needed."