WITHOUT

The One.

"We will have people to face. And myself as well. I suppose, you could say I could be in as much trouble as you all! But, remember this. We did what we did, for a good reason. Loved ones had to be returned home..." Clark was re-pinning her hair, looked EB up and down (Straighten her denim jacket)

"Trinity. Can you take Hector. I will escort Ethan, if there's issues right at the door, and Ethan goes into "defence" mode - I can calm him on the spot. My dear, I'm not saying - You don't know what to do....It's more, when I left. I have a feeling about what we will be "returning" to..."

I had a feeling. We all had a feeling. We had all left without permission of another. We knew, our reasons. Just not everyone else!

Hector had no "feelings"....Bad, good or indifferent. He took one look at the large building before him, and felt pleased. It wasn't the medical facility, no attendants had come out to greet us (And had just grabbed him by his neck) He wasn't being dragged into the building (And, hit as they moved him)

He was standing beside me, I was holding his stump-like hand. He felt positive too.     Things had been confusing, scary.....Beyond his understanding.     But, since his "correction" surgery....Life had been just that - Totally beyond what he would ever be able to understand ever again.    He'd been made "less" than, not greater.     His sense of self had been removed.

Humans don't have - Large fang-like teeth in their heads, parts of their body altered to live on all fours, their minds damaged to the point they live by the commands of others (And, can only think in bursts of the here and now)

With Ethan, he felt "trust".....And, he saw the young man as a master of sorts.   Ethan was good to him.     He now had us, we hadn't hit him (We gave him food)     We talked to him, he didn't comprehend all our words - But, we spoke in calm tones (We smiled at him)     That had made him shake at first.    Cause no one smiled at the facility - And, if they did.

(Hector had never wanted to learn why)

Clark opened the grand front door, EB went in first.     She did a quick scan of the front reception area - No one was around.    She held the door, beckoned us in....Hector and I entered okay (Hector's head started to spin in every direction)  He then dropped to all fours, wrapped his arms around my legs (Made a small whining noise) Ethan picked up on the magic, and stood stock-still on the front-door step.

He growled right at Clark....Bared his teeth, eyes went jet black (Wings sprang into action, hit the door-frame, made it creek)     EB saw I was struck with a paralysed Hector, she went to Ethan....Hands on hips, stared at him (Then, snapped her small fingers at him)     She then pointed to the floor in front of her.    Her eyes had gone bright china-blue, she was gritting her teeth at him.

Ethan growled right back at her, remained to stand his ground....But, then pulled at Clark.   They both entered, Clark grabbed him by the shoulders.     She gave him a frowning look, but then.....She cupped one cheek.

"Don't fight.    Don't make them hurt you.    I did.    It's painful, it breaks you a little.   You know, I will do what needs to be done.."        Clark turned him around, she patted his wings down, and back into his back.     Ethan saw a flash of what Clark felt she needed to do once.     Ethan did a small shudder.    He then suddenly felt EB trying to hug him, and so was Clark.

I bent, unwrapped Hector from my legs...."You poor kid.   This place is too big, it smells odd.....And, it has a mind all of it's own!.."      I bent right down in front of him, he had tears in his eyes....He looked scared, but he wasn't sad.