DISCONTINUED

Chapter 63

The only figure Luna saw as she walked into the large, mostly empty room was someone she didn't recognize. That, plus the fact that he was wearing some sort of lab coat and messing around with some odd-looking equipment immediately made her feel uncomfortable. Her heart started beating faster and she stopped abruptly, glancing nervously around the room. Was this some sort of trap? Where was her Dad, and who was this guy? And what was he doing?

"It's ok Lu. Come on" said Bo reassuringly, taking her hand and leading her forward.

She looked at him, confused, as they both resumed slowly walking towards the stranger who hadn't yet noticed them. Bo gave her a quick almost grin that was immediately replaced by some sort of sad - almost apologetic? - expression that she couldn't quite read. Why was he so ok with this? What did he know that she didn't? He bit his lip as he looked away from her. It was as if he desperately wanted to convince her that everything was fine, but he knew that it wasn't, and it was really starting to freak her out. Was he being forced by someone to do something he didn't want to do? Was he trying to send her some sort of sign?

She was just about to stop and turn around when she noticed the two tables. Tables on wheels. Like... hospital beds. One of them was occupied. She yanked her hand away from Bo as she sprinted towards the farthest table.

"Dad? Dad??... DAD?!?!" she said, her voice quiet and questioning at first, then growing loud and panicked.

As she reached his bedside she knew immediately. It wasn't him. Not really. He wasn't there anymore. He was... gone.

Her knees buckled and she would have fallen if Bo hadn't arrived to quickly grab her around the waist. Hyperventilating, she rested her forehead on the side of the bed as she puked until her puking turned to dry heaving, with Bo supporting her weight as her body went limp. She gradually regained her legs and slowly lifted her head to look at the now empty shell of a man once so full of love and life and laughter in all the memories that flooded her mind. She closed her eyes and lay her head on him, grasping his cold hand in hers.

"Dad..." was all she could say as she sobbed into his lifeless chest.

"I'm sorry Luna but we need to act quickly." It was the stranger speaking.

Luna lifted her head and slowly turned to face him. Without warning she lunged at him in a rage and started pounding at him with her fists, a horrible feral look in her eyes.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAD?!!??! WHAT DID YOU DO?!?! I'LL KILL YOU!!!!"

The stranger didn't fight back but simply blocked Luna's punches until Bo was able to grab her from behind, gently but firmly pinning her arms against her sides. No longer able to use her arms she lashed out with her feet as Bo pulled her back away from the man.

"Luna. Listen... Luna! Stop! Stop! Please Luna, stop."

Bo spun Luna around so that she was facing him, and he held on tightly to her shoulders. Her breathing was rapid and shallow as she looked into her friend's eyes, the deep sadness in them causing her rage to subside.

Once again overcome by grief, she was about to fall into his arms when instead she took a step backwards and stood staring at him, her eyes searching his with a sudden realization. She reached up and crudely wiped her sleeve across her snot and tear-filled face, never taking her eyes off him.

"You knew" she said quietly, under her breath. "You knew about this YOU BASTARD!!!!" she screamed as she began flailing at him with her fists.

Bo grabbed her wrists and held them as he spoke, struggling to be heard above her screams.

"Lu. Lu! Yes, I knew. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But he made me promise Lu. Your Dad made me promise. It's what he wanted."

Luna stared at him, confused.