Genesis Reality II

Chapter XVIII - Unbreakable Bonds

It was much later in the week.

Rin was finally able to walk but had to take her time when walking upstairs.

Her legs and arms were covered with bandage wraps as if she got into a car accident.

"Your bruises are finally starting to show... I wonder why Vincent's aren't that bad..." Rosalia said as she examined her daughter's face while they both sat in the formal living room on the second floor of the castle.

"They don't hurt as bad as I thought they would," Rin explained as Rosalia soaked a towel in warm water, "Why are you doing the nurse's job?"

"You're still my daughter... I want to be your mother as long as I can..." Rosalia said as she grasped the towel, letting water pour from the water-absorbed knot, "And I'm not saying things will get worse, I just want to be here for you."

Rosalia gently wiped Rin's face clean, relaxing her and keeping her calm.

"How about the baby?" Rosalia asked with a smile.

"We have yet to get an official report on the status of the remarkably still-living baby. I still can't believe they're holding on..." Rin said as she rubbed her flat stomach.

"You are infected with Emergence... or I should say, are Emergence," Rosalia explained.

Rin turned her head to look out the massive window and admired the sunset.

The sky was bright orange with cream clouds scattered throughout the sky.

"I... I always wanted to know the reason behind your lies. Were they to keep me safe? You put us in so much danger mom... Why couldn't you just tell me I was an Omen..." Rin said as she avoided eye contact with her mom while letting slow tears fall from her eyes.

"I-I always wanted to tell you... As I've said before, I couldn't find the right words... and I used the attack as an excuse," Rosalia explained as she let her arm fall to her lap and away from Rin's face, "Because you were able to fight through it-"

"I fought through it because I thought it was some kind of curse! When we went to Invictii, Urtha explained to me that Witchblade was not the one who ambushed us because they were no longer working together," Rin explained as she turned to her mother, "Of course I was too young to realize any of that when it happened... But the fact that I was in the dark for the rest of time until my stasis... I... I was devastated that you would brush my condition off your shoulder like that..."

Rin explained her frustration through tears and physical pain from her bruises.

Rosalia's head tilted downward and faced the ground. Rosalia began crying hysterically at Rin's feet.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!" Rosalia yelled as she covered her eyes.

Rin fell to the floor from her chair to hug her mom, regardless of injuring her knees further in the process.

"Don't cry, mom... I hate when you cry..." Rin cried as she held Rosalia tightly.

On the fourth floor, Vincent stood outside of his bedroom balcony smoking a blunt as Ezra and Mai played together inside.

Vincent leaned on the railing and admired the orange sky.

Vincent exhaled the last puff of smoke before dropping the remains of the blunt to the ground and stepping on it.

"Babe... are you sure you don't want to come inside?" Mai asked as she paused from tickling Ezra.

Vincent slowly turned around and walked to their bed.