The Reset

Chapter Four: The Turnabout

Kai froze in place, seeing all of his children sitting in the living room together. They were chatting and drinking as if it hadn't been Christmas since they'd last seen each other. They all had their own lives to lead. There wasn't a need for them to stock around Portland. Bonnie had even stressed that they all go out and see the world and pave their own ways, reassuring them that she and Kai could more than take care of themselves.

After all, they were witches. The sky was the limit.

Lydia poured her younger sister, Abigail, a glass of wine. Her dark hair fell in long waves along her back, reaching to her elbows. Her eyes were green like her mother's. She was the current Gemini leader, having merged with her twin, Thomas. Bonnie cried for days afterward. She had been near inconsolable. Kai had done everything that he could to prevent The Merge. But he knew that a new leader needed to be chosen, the only solution he could offer her was to put them all in another prison world of his making.

And he had made one, much to Bonnie's horror. The Ascendant for it was locked away in a box upstairs.

Sitting beside each other on the couch were his sons, Josiah and Emilio. Dark haired and with piercing blue eyes, lighter in skin tone than the rest of their siblings. Bonnie had once teased him, saying that they came into the world just to torment him - to pay him back for all of those bad jokes he told in their youth. They had been born in succession, right after Lydia.

Bonnie said after she gave birth to Emilio that she didn't want to have any more children. Because Jo already had twins that could have taken over for him as his heirs. Kai's twin, however, had other things to say on that. She would not have her children adhering to The Merge tradition which, sadly, left Kai in a very difficult position. Especially since he and Bonnie hadn't given birth to twins of their own yet.

Laughter pooled into the room as Lonnie and Max came in from the back where the pool deck was. They apparently were engrossed by whatever was playing on Lonnie's phone. Her dark tresses were pulled up into a ponytail and Max's hair was starting to reach his ears.

Max made his way over to Abigail, bumping shoulders with her and giving her a hug. Despite him being the youngest boy, Max had always been close with Abby for some reason. Even more so after they had lost Thomas. In a way, Abby had been crying out for someone who could fill the void that was left in her heart despite Thomas always being with her - inside of her.

Lonnie, his youngest, spotted him first - bright green and blue eyes growing wide. He couldn't help but smile, despite the slight horror crossing her features. Kai had always loved that she had been born with heterochromia.

What drink Lonnie had in her hand came crashing to the floor, bringing everyone to focus on just what she was looking at. Those who had been seated immediately stood up and those already standing were closing the distance. Except for Lydia. She hung back.

Max, however, was the first to finally say something. "D-Dad?"

Everyone looked at Kai, seeing the much younger version of the father they knew. Kai lifted up one of his hands and gave his trademark, finger-wagging wave. "Hi kids."

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~ 1903 Prison World ~

Cutting through The Falls had been easy. Or, at least, it would have been if Bonnie didn't have so much fabric to heft around in her arms. She had cut a harsh glare in Kai's direction as he snickered at her while they trudged through the snow. He hefted a large, burlap satchel over his shoulders and she had several velvet bags and baskets in her arms. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him know that she was struggling with her skirts.