The blazing storm

Chapter 20

11 months earlier

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"What do you mean our passports aren't valid?" James demands.  The border patrol guy hands the two passports back to James without another word. 

"Come back when they are." He says.

James seems to swallow back some curses.  He stamped on the gas pedal and they raced back into Canada.  Darcy gently put her hand on James's arm.  It was shaking.  "It's going to be ok." She said in a soothing voice.  "They won't come all the way over here for us." She said. 

James glanced at her from the corner of his eye.  "They did before." He said.

Darcy dropped her hand and looked away.  "Yeah." She agreed in a gloomy tone.  She vividly remembered the night though Cyclopses had kidnapped her from Camp Half-Blood.  She flinched and mentally punched herself for not reacting to the sounds she had heard in her cabin.  If she had... she wouldn't have been captured and tortured.  She wouldn't have seen Brother Toe be brutally murdered and she wouldn't have been put in a twenty-one month coma.  But she also wouldn't have met James... maybe it was just a cruel love story Aphrodite had lined up to make some things interesting. 

She reached back over to James and took his free hand in hers.  Her fingers were cold and his hand was warm.  James gave her hand a squeeze and looked over at her.  "I want you to be safe." He said.  He gripped her hand tighter.  "I need you to be safe." 

Darcy's heart clenched and she quickly looked away.  Outside it was grey and stormy.  Rain pelted against the windows.  James pulled into the first motel they came across. 

James didn't go in, he just turned off the car and they sat there listening to the sound of the rain on the metal.  He put his face in his hands.  "I'm sorry." He said, nearly in tears. 

Darcy leaned over and took his wrists and tried to look him in the eyes.  "James," She gently tugged on his wrists.  James finally glanced at her.  "It's fine." She leaned in and kissed him.  

Present day
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Darcy had one blissful moment of peace from the onslaught of memories.  Leo was now in Chiron's office as well, twirling a bronze screwdriver between his fingers.  When Darcy opened her eyes, Leo handed it to her.  She took it carefully, not to sure what to make of it.

Leo looked over it, obviously remembering whatever memory went along with the screwdriver.  "You gave that to me for my birthday one year, remember?" He asked.

Darcy turned it over in her fingers and nodded.  "I remember." She hands the screwdriver back to Leo and lays her head down in James's lap.  "That's all I've been doing."

10 months ago
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"Got them!" James burst into the motel room waving two passports above his head.  Darcy shot up from the bed.

"Finally!" She cried with excitement. 

James walked towards her quickly and gave her the new passport.  Darcy flipped to the photo page and snapped it shut as soon as she opened it.  "Oh gods," She said, grimacing.  "I think there is a law against looking that bad. 

James laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever.  "I'm pretty sure mine looks worse." And without warning, he pulled Darcy towards him and hugged her tightly.  It took Darcy a moment to register what was going on since James had barely touched her in the past month.  She hugged him back. 

"I love you." He said into her hair. 

Darcy felt warmth course through her limbs.  "I love you, too." Her arms tightened around James's rib cage. 

They pulled away and James smiled at her.  "Hey," He squeezed her shoulders.  "It only cost a car and ten kidneys."

Darcy narrowed her eyes.  "You only have two kidneys." She said. 

James's grin widened.  "Well, that's what they all say." He leaned in.  His breath tickled her ear.  "I didn't actually sell any." He whispered.

Darcy smiled.  "I know," She whispered back. 

"Ok," James pulled away again and clapped his hands.  He looked around the room.  "Let's pack up and find a bus or something."

And so, the started to pack up their bags and prepared to head to their home; Camp Half-Blood.