Hello Danger

A Fathers Love

Harper woke up. Her whole body was stiff. Harper inched off the table and scooted off. Harper grabbed the crutches and slowly made her way to her bedroom. Harper grabbed a red dress. She slid it on over her bandages and put a black leather jacket on top.
Harper slowly made her way to the kitchen. She shook her head slightly and made her way back to the Mans Neat.
"Chapa."
Harper whispered. Chapa rubbed her eyes as she looked towards Harper.
"Morning.."
Harper giggled as she stared at Chapa. Harper slowly bent down and kissed Chapas cheek. Chapa sat up and stared at Harper as she slowly swung between her crutches. Harper giggled as she tried to run as fast as she could with her crutches. But she failed. Ray walked through the door and saw Harper.
"Hey how you doing Harp?"
Harper smiled.
"Better."
Harper said quietly.
Ray ruffled her hair. Harper giggled.
"But you know I'm not going to let you fight crime for a while right?"
Harper groaned.
"But Dad.... I wanna fight crime!"
Rays heart broke. Harper called him Dad. Ray stood in silence. They exchanged glances before Ray held Harper in a tight hug.
"To..tight."
Ray loosened his grip but continued to hold on to Harper. They pulled away and Harper knew Chapa was jealous. Harper made her way slowly over to Chapa, and kisses her cheek.
"Jealous? Huh."
Chapa shakes her head and smiles.
"What am I gonna do with you?"
Harper laughs as the two head down to the classroom. They sit down at their desks, and Harper gets up and walks over to Chapa and hugs her from behind. Chapa rests her head on Harpers arm, and smiles. Harper kisses Chapas head, and makes her way down to her cheek. Chapa stands up and slightly pushes Harper against the wall.
"I swear! I keep telling you Rays not going to let Harper fight crime."
Mika said as she opens the door. Inside, Harper and Chapa are giggling. Mika, Miles, and Bose walk over.
"Hey guys ho- CHAPA! What's that on your neck?!"
Mika said as everyone looked over. Harper and Chapas faces go red. They both look down in shame. But Harpers head barley looks down, so she just looks away.
"Is that? A hickey?"
Miles asks trying to get a better look.
"No..."
Chapa denies.
"That means Harper gave it to you!"
Mika says jumping up and down.
"No..."
Harper said weakly.
"That means we're getting a puppy?"
Bose asks excitedly. Everyone rolls their eyes.
"I wish."
Harper says. Mika gives Chapa a big smile that makes Chapa scoot closer to Harper.
"You two are in love..."
"No way! Absolutely not!"
Chapa says. Harpers heart was crushed. Harper pressed her button and went upstairs. She went into the kitchen we're Schwoz was.
"Harper! I need to take you brace off!"
Harper gave a little squeak. Schwoz took it off, and the bruise at where the mans thumbs were, was a dark purple. It stung Harper at the touch of it.
"Okay now just say, my name is Harper Manchester."
Harper looked away.
"My... name....is.. Ha-"
She stopped it pained her too much to go on. Schwoz nodded.
"Why don't you get to class."
Harper nodded and headed back downstairs. The others seemed quiet, and Chapa was red. Harper read the room. They weren't happy, they were scared. And for Chapa, she was pissed. Harper walked over and teased a bit of Chapas hair.
"Get off of me."
Chapa said lowly.
"Look... at.. me."
Harper said in pain. Chapa rolled her eyes as she turned her head. Then, this time, her heart broke at the sight of the bruise. Chapas anger was washed away. Chapa put her pointer finger up to the bruise, and slightly felt it. Harper closed her eyes. Chapa was being gentle. There was not a lot of pain. But Chapa made Harper feel better.
"Yikes. They got you bad."
Chapa said. Harper just nodded. Harper hugged Chapa, not caring about anyone else. Chapa was frozen at first, since everyone's eyes were on the two girls. But she hid her head and hugged Harper back.
"You poor thing."
Chapa said quietly. Harper just smiled into her shoulder.
"Alright everyone sit down."
Harper and Chapa took their seats and watched Ray talk. He talked about stuff that made Harper and Chapa yawn. Harper grabbed Chapas hand and teleported them outside. Chapa looked around and giggled.
"Where are we?"
"Who cares. At least we're alone now."
They both smiled as they slowly made their way down the cracked sidewalk. They approached a street, that had lots of burnt down buildings. Harper started to move a bit quicker. Harper stopped in front of a building, that had only the frame left.
"This was the bakery that sold cream puffs."
Harper pointed out. They continued walking as Harper pointed things out. Then, Harper stopped and broke into tears. Her house was only rubble. Harper made her way inside, with Chapa on her tail. Harper walked through what was her living room and picked up a picture in a metal frame. Harper dusted it off as she looked at the picture. It was her family. It had her Mom and Dad, her brothers, and Harper smiling in the middle. Harper made her way over to where the small bookcase underneath the stairs was. She lifted a half burnt plank, and grabbed a slightly burned briefcase. Harper heard a yell.
"What are you two girls doing here? This place is condemned!"
Harper turned around.
"Just picking up the remaining pieces of my family's stuff."
The mans face lightened.
"Harper Manchester?"
"Hi Mr. Martin."
The man waved them off.
"Do your thing and get out of here. Girls like you don't belong in a place like this."
Harper nodded as she looked around. Nothing much of their house was left. You could see the floors above, and nothing remained whole. Harper made her way out and placed the briefcase on the cracked sidewalk. She opened it up. There, her fathers triangular folded flag, sat untouched. Harper picked the framed picture of her father in his uniform. Then, his untouched uniform, laid perfectly folded. Harper put the picture back in the case and locked it back up. She looked around and grabbed Chapas hand.
Harper teleported them back to the classroom which was silent upon arrival. Harper ser the briefcase down and stared at it.
"You got your Dads stuff?"
Ray asked. Harper just nodded as she placed it on his desk. Ray opened the case and picked up the framed picture.
"Who knows who this is?"
Everyone except Harper looked clueless. Ray sighed.
"This is Sergeant Major. Markus Snow. Or otherwise known as Harpers biological father."
Harper looked down at her desk and closed her eyes. She could remember his big hands. She remembered his gritty voice. How it looked like the life was always drained out of him. Harper wiped a tear away as she fixed her attention on Ray. Ray tilted the briefcase so he didn't touch the flag and uniform.
"Who knows why this flag is in this briefcase?"
Harper knew, but nobody else did.
"Harper? Wanna tell them why?"
Harper nods.
"The flag is provided in order to honor the memory of their service to the country. First the flag arrives laid across the..."
Harper trailed off and rubbed her throat. Harper sighed before she tried to continue.
"...casket. After the casket arrives, three shots are fired from big rifles in unison. It represents that they will no longer do anymore harm."
Harper stops and rubs her bruise. It's pain has grown stronger.
"After whatever a musical interlude is, the flag is taken from the casket, and a folding ceremony is preformed. Then, the flag is handed to a military chaplain, who then approaches the next of kin presenting them with the flag."
Ray nods.
"For you of those who don't know, the next of kin is the family of the fallen soldier."
Harper stared down at her desk. The memory of her fathers funeral came into mind. The only time Harper wasn't clinging onto her mother. She remembered how she stood silently through the whole service, how her brothers each had a hand holding onto her. She remembered how her mother held her hand as they walked up to the casket, her mother lifting her up onto her hip to see her father. He was dressed up in his best suit, the navy blue one, not the black. His black tie, and white shirt, with his shiny black dress shoes. Harper remembered staring at him. Harper then finally remembered the tall man, handing her the flag, and keeping her little hands high enough so it had no way to touch the ground. Harper remembered the soft feeling.
Harper picked her head up and wiped a tear that leaked onto her cheek away. Harper had the sound of gun shots in the back of her head. A war broke out in her head, causing Harper to groan in pain and agony. Harper rubbed her head and stared at the board.
"You okay Harper?"
Harper nodded as the gun shots died down. Chapa stared at Harper as Ray taught. Chapa rolled her chair over and sat next to Harper who was deep in thought. Chapa grabbed Harpers hand and rubbed her knuckles as class continued. But Harper was stuck in her battle. A cannon blew and Harpers body would shake. A soldier would fall, and Harper would shed a tear. Then, the school day ended, and Harpers mental battle died. Harper stood up and put the picture back in the case. But then she realized something. A piece of paper in her fathers shirt pocket. Harper gently removed the paper without touching the shirt. She ran over to her desk and grabbed her tracker. She slowly guided her eyes over the words.
Harper is my sweet daughter. Today she turns five, and this war rages on. Baileys birthday was a month ago. He turned 7. Jordon turned 11 about three months ago. And Sawyer turned 16 four months ago. I want to send Harper a birthday present, but I can't really in a war zone. I might be able to sneak to the store and buy her a gift, or just buy one online. A silver bullet isn't a good gift for a five year old is it? Can I send guns through the mail? She loves those. There is a nearby jewelry store that I can go to. She loves jewelry. Scratch that she's five. I think I'll give her the best present. Me coming home to see her.
Harper read it. She loves it. Harper picked up the briefcase and teleported to her room. She placed the note down on her desk and dug through a small moving box. She grabbed a picture frame that was empty. It said Daddy on it. Harper placed the note in the frame and hung it on her all over her desk. Harper set the briefcase on a shelf in her closet. Harper felt like her Dad was closer. That night she fell asleep happier.