Freedom Is My Redemption

Chapter 4

"Oh honey, are you ok? I know, rhetorical question. I just- I wanted to check on you." Doris skittered around the room moving things to and fro, wringing her hands and finally stopping to look at me. I smiled softly, "I'm ok- I think. I mean, I'm a little overwhelmed with things from my sister but-" I shrug.
She smiles and comes towards me slowly, I feel myself tense as she does and she raises her hands slowly in surrender. "I know you're a strong girl, and can handle a lot more than most." She says slowly, her voice is low and I sigh softly before she gives me a wink, "but, that doesn't mean you don't need a moment to breathe." I nod, and roll my shoulder trying to ease some of the tension in my body. "Those boys-" she says quietly shaking her head. She takes out a stethoscope and smiles, "take a deep breath for me." It only takes a moment for her to look me over and deem me healthy enough for the continued discussion. After she does, she turns back and puts her tools away and I remain sitting on the small bed.
She turns and I can see she's surprised to see me still there, "oh- I figured you'd have gone to see if Davi was awake. I'm sure Kai didn't hurt him," I smile. "Yea, I want to-" I say trailing off. She looks back to me with a soft smile playing on her lips and I sigh dropping my head, "but I need to talk to you first. Besides," I say after a pause, bringing my eyes back to hers. "You're right, Kai wouldn't hurt them. Not too badly anyways," she chuckled at that.
Once the older woman finished putting things away she turned her attention on me, she was reading my body language trying to see if I'd give away what I wanted to speak about. After a moment, she must've decided she couldn't get anything because her lips pursed and she leaned back against the counter. It's funny, how she's standing now is near identical to how Davi stood just months before when I'd first been brought to this room.
She leaned back on the counter and seemed to weigh her options before finally she spoke, "alright. I've been patient and even tried to figure it out myself. That didn't work- clearly-" she says scoffing to jerk self. I raise a brow in confusion, "but I can tell somethings bothering you. Tell me," her eyes are filled with that motherly concern that I've come to love and I feel indecision in my mind.
I sigh rubbing at my forearm, right above that damn scar. Is this a new nervous habit? "Do- do you think I made the wrong decision," the sentence came out quicker than I could actually process and I wound up stuttering.
Once it came out, though, I couldn't stop it. It was one strung together sentence that flew out in one breath. Her eyes widened and she held out her hand to me, hesitantly I gave her mine and she studied it. "Hmm," she said before turning it over looking at the back of it, tracing lines and veins, following them up my wrist.
She stopped at the scar and gently ran her fingers over the puckered skin. It was long since healed, slightly pink skin, and slightly raised to the touch. I felt a shiver run through me as her fingers trailed over it, "mmhmm," she said quietly.
She ran her hands up to my shoulders and stopped at my neck where Davi had nuzzled me just moments before. "Ah," she said and I felt my cheeks redden, but she just continued to the front of my shirt.
"May I," she asks looking at the front of it, I nod, not quite sure what she was going to do. Slowly she undid the buttons and opened the front of the shirt. Her eyes widened, "that's gonna take a few sessions, easily," she sighed, "I thought he'd been more careful." She glowered and I frowned "what's going to-" I sucked in my breath as I looked down at my chest that was now bare for her to examine.
"Wha- what are those?" I ask looking down. Starting in the center of my chest over each breast is a burned hand print. Coming away from either hand print are burnt scar marks looking like sparks. I stared in shock as I looked down at the marks. My breathing came in shallow pants and my mouth went dry, "how- how did I miss this?" I ask hysterically, and Doris purses her lips.
"You didn't see this when you changed?" She took some salve and put it on her fingers before rubbing it on my chest, "n-no. Julia helped me and she-" I gasp in realization, "she kept my eyes up!" Doris nodded, "ah. Smart girl, you see when you flat lined Davi and I didn't have time to get the machine set. I helped heal as he shocked you, effectively restarting your heart." My mouth dropped open as I looked at her, her shoulders were hunched and her face didn't have its typical no worries set to it.
She looked sad, "th-thank you," I say my voice thick with tears. She smiles and pats my cheek, "I can't say whether it was the right choice or not. I'm not you, only you know what's right for you." I smile at her as I feel the truth in her words, "you really are like a mom, aren't you?" She laughs at that and pulls me into a hug, "of course! You're all my babies, especially Timothy," she says with a wink and I laugh.
"Honestly though," she says and I stand to look at my chest more closely in a mirror. I frown at the burn marks there but as I look closer I realize I don't hate them. The hands were nearly gone now, thanks to the salve. All that was left was the tendrils of sparks that ran to my collar bone, "hmm ya know, these kind of go with my power." I say quietly and she smiles, "that they do, dear." I hear the tissue crinkle on the bed as she sits and meet her gaze in the mirror. "You're an amazing person. You know that don't you?"
At my silence, she scoffed, "of course you do. I don't know what those boys did without you. You're the glue that holds them together." She stood and me once more, "now then I think I took enough time away from you. Come, we have to get back. Kai has some work for us, light load for you though, doctors order."
She dropped a wink and opened the door.
I followed her back to the meeting room, her words echoed in my head; I don't know what they did without you, you're the glue that holds them together. Am I? I can't make that decision for you. Only you know what's best for you, do I? I felt my mind wander and swirl around what she'd said. I thought about Kai and Jason, Davi and Timothy, even Julia.
Whenever Kai and Davi would argue, as soon as I came in, they'd stop and smile and joke and laugh. Davi and Jason- they'd fight and argue to no end until I'd step between them. The argument would gloss over and it'd be as though nothing ever happened. They'd laugh and joke together like old friends.
Julia was my best- my only- friend. When we first met she'd hated me, called me every name in the book. Now, I scoff and mentally roll my eyes, now she helps me dress, throws the boys out, helps me cook, teaches me more about Kai and Davi when they were younger. This- this was the right choice, "what was that, dear?" Doris calls over her shoulder and I stop mid-step realizing I'd spoken out loud. My cheeks redden as I answer, "o-oh I didn't mean to say that aloud."
"Oh good, you're back! Kai has been sitting at the table staring blankly, Timothy is eating all the snacks in site, and those two idiots are asleep. I need adult conversat- oh uh your shirt," Julia's eyes widen. I look down to see the top two buttons open revealing a bit of my collar.
The scars that were there shown through and I frowned, "oh- yea. I uh saw that. Thank you," I say and hug her tightly. She goes stiff as I wrap my arms around her but after a moment she loosens up and I feel her arms go around me. We stand like that for a moment before we both let go, "what was that for?" She asks quietly and I smile, "for being my friend. You didn't have to. Hell, you didn't even like me at first, but here we are- you're excited to see me and I'm excited to see you. You protected me from seeing the truth of this," I say gesturing to my chest. "You didn't have to but you did, why?"
She frowns, her eyes show the confusion she tries to keep off her face, but they're still warm as she looks at me. "Because-" she says playing with the collar of my shirt before closing it with a sigh, "I know how you are with marks. I understand how you are, and I knew seeing handprints could scare you. Hell, it'd scare me to see those, but I know he did it out of love- legitimate love."
Her face was pinched in worry and I smiled, "I know. Doris explained to me what happened, I was scared at first but then- I don't know," I say trailing off. My eyes crossed the room to where Davi lie sleeping. He looked so peaceful, I sigh and turn back to Julia who I find watching me. "Sorry- Anyways I know he didn't do it for bad reasons." She nodded and shrugged, "I'm gonna take my seat, try and see if you could get sleeping beauty up and at em, huh?" I chuckle, and walk towards Davi, I hear Doris lecturing Timothy behind me about overeating and overstuffing on snacks.
Slowly, the sounds of the room fades out around me and I focus in on Davi, I lean down and kiss his cheek. "You're not gonna wake up, are you?" He doesn't move and I roll my shoulders, I put my hand on the side of his face and stroke it slowly before standing. "Ah," I say as I notice Kai.
He's sitting at the table, his hands were in front of his face and his head was bowed he looked like he was praying or deep in thought. I smile softly and walk up to his side. When he doesn't move, I kneel beside him and kiss his cheek. He leans his head back enough to look at me, as he does I see his eyes are no longer the hazel green color I love but white. Pitch white. I raise a brow at him to show my shock at his color change and he smiles slowly at me. "What was that for," he whispers to me. I run my hand through his hair and play with it.
"To say thank you," I say with a sigh. When he blinks, his eyes slowly start to change back to hazel. "For what," he says and his voice is low and husky. I smile, and kiss his cheek again. "Because you kept them down didn't you?" At his blank stare I smiled, "you're the reason they're still asleep, aren't you?" He chuckled looking a little guilty, "yea- I didn't want to deal with bickering."
I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck and held him, "you could've killed them at any time. But instead, you kept him calm and now asleep. You keep yourself on edge to hold them to their best. So, thank you." He smiles, "you're welcome." He takes a deep breath and blows it out steadily, as he does I watch as Davi and Jason both start to stir. Jesus, he kept both of them down and out and barely moved a muscle.
I went to Davi and held my hand out just as Jason moved away from him making gagging sounds, "were you spooning me?" Davi kicked but missed and Jason stood out of range, "baby, I know you wanna support his dead beat ass but uh-" Davi lunged before Jason could finish though. I sigh and turn to Kai who leans back in his chair. "I handled the first round, it's your turn." With that he turned to Julia and they started speaking quietly. I grimaced and turned back to the two idiots before me but saw Doris had them each by the ear and was giving them an earful.
"Honestly!" She was saying, "you have such a pretty young lady who just wants to spend time with you Davi, but you're too busy flirting with Jason. Maybe she should go to Kai, I'm sure he wouldn't treat her like yesterday's reheats." Davi looked stricken and Jason snickered but Doris quickly turned on him, "and you," she said turning to a very pale Jason, I snickered at their faces just as Kai held a hand up. "Doris, I do love that you do such an amazing job with these two idiots but- we've got to continue on. Can we lecture them later?"
The older woman looks from the two men in her hands to Kai and I can see the argument on her lips just as I can see the hope in Davi and Jason's eyes. After a moment, she finally lets go, and as she goes to her chair she mutters something about cleaning. Davi and Jason make their way to their seats both cupping an ear in annoyance and both not looking at one another.
I've missed this. It's only been a few days- week? But I never want to lose time with my family again. "Alright boys-" Kai said but I couldn't help myself I stood effectively cutting his words off and glared at the two of them.
Jason and Davi both looked sheepishly at me and Kai raised a brow in question. I pat his hand once as if to say five seconds and I'm done, he sighed but leaned back in his chair giving me the floor. "You two," I say eyeing both of them to be sure they were listening. When I was positive they were, I continued, "need to thank Kai."
They both frowned and I glared. "Honestly, you're both here bickering and arguing and fighting, it's a wonder he hasn't murdered you." Davi opened his mouth to speak and I held a finger up to say I'm not done yet. His eyes widened but he closed his mouth, "no sir." I say, "you two need to hear this, you can't just run around acting like overgrown children. Kai has a business to run and we're his friends as well as partners. We have a duty to help him."
Jason snorted and I turned my gaze on him, skewering him "something funny?" At that, he sat straighter in his chair ready for the tongue lashing. "Jason, I don't know about you but, my life? Before this, sucked. Kai literally saved my life. He saved yours and Timothys'. Instead of acting like this, how about making his life easier and help him." Both he and Davi nodded sheepishly, "do you guys even realize how easy it is for him to stop your hearts? He could've killed you and been done. Instead, he kept himself on edge and kept you asleep. I don't know about you but, I think you had it easy. Instead of fighting each other, let's get over our egotistical male pride and be better." I sigh and turn to Kai, "sorry didn't mean to take your thunder just wanted to get that out."
He smirked and shook his head, "alright. Now that you two have effectively been scolded, let's move on with the days business." Davi and Jason took their seats while Doris took hers, "alright, listen up. We got ourselves a mole." My eyes widened and I looked around the room, as I did I saw that everyone around me looked equally as shocked as I did. Well, that's a plus- right?
"The only one who's clean and clear is Tsu. That's only because she's been incapacitated the last week or so, not to mention she just came into this life." Jason opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it at Kais' glare. "Now, this being said, I don't think that it's necessarily anyone here."
I saw as everyone breathed a sigh of relief but the energy in the room had changed. No longer were we children bickering with one another, we were a crew ready to defend one another. We were a family, and someone had tried to ruin us. "You see, Johnny boy has been poking around a lot more lately and I don't like it. He knows more than he should." Timothy spoke up, "doesn't Johnny make the suits? How can he be much of a threat?" Kai looked annoyed at the interruption and I could tell he was gonna snap but he smiled, "true. But you see, Johnny is like us. He too has a power of his own, though his more of a curse than a gift." I snorted at that.
"Most of these 'powers' start off as curses though, don't they?" He nodded slowly as though thinking it over, "I will admit that. However, his is more curse than gift. His ties into his literal well being. People who have this power don't typically live past their thirties- if that." I felt as my heart skipped a beat, "wait- what?"
Davi nodded, he was in business mode now. "His power is literally 'rumor' he has to be fed steady amounts of rumors or else he'll basically starve." The room went silent as everyone took that bit in. Kai leaned back in his chair, "now as you can imagine, in our line of work-" he says casting an anxious look at me. I can't help the small smile that plays on my lips as he does, he's one of the baddest of the bad but yet he's so worried about my well-being. As sweet as it is, it's dangerous.
I square my shoulders and nod, "it's ok. I appreciate the worry for my well-being, but I know what we are." I say it plainly and simply looking from Kai to Davi who has a bit of a shocked expression on his face.
"I didn't before, but I do know. I understand. I'm not agreeing to bend to their will and be silenced, we became the villain. In every story there's a hero and a villain. To ours, we're the hero. We fight for what's right for those of us who have had the basic rights to live taken away and have been treated like vermin. To them, though, were the villainous people who refuse to do 'simple' acts that they demand and use our powers for evil." I sigh staring down at the table, "you either die the hero or live long enough to become the villain." I pick my head up and see everyone watching me closely, I smile and feel the truth to my words as I do.
"I don't know about you but- I've tried the 'hero' thing, it didn't work. Neither did dying, so looks to me like I don't have much choice but to become the villain. I already am in my family's book," I smirk at the end and see Jason's eyes glaze over with adoration and Timothy nods. Julia looks impressed, Doris ponders this for a moment before nodding, and Kai and Davi look- happy.
"Well, on that positive note," Kai says nodding to me. I sit and he takes back over after sharing a glance with Davi.
"As I was saying, in our line of work there's always those that can give rumors out. However, with Johnny he's learned how to differentiate between lies and truth. So for him to pursue this, there's some truth in it- and he knows it." The energy in the room was at an all time heavy, I looked around and saw everyone had the same look on their face: sorrow.
Kai sighed and Davi took over, "Johnny knows that what he's been told has some truth to it, he can sense it. Without the truth, he dies. Now, onto what he's been told," he says and casts a look at Kai who nods. "Johnny has been informed that one of us- he doesn't know who- has the power of the Grim." I turned to look at Julia and saw her eyes had already gone wide.
She was pale and looked scared, but as I watched, she visibly forced herself to be calm. "Ok," she said, "why is that bad?" She wrung her hands and placed them on her lap, though I suspected her fingers were crazy at work lacing and re-lacing over and over. "Because, the power of the Grim is very, very rare." Doris said quietly, "it only shows up in every few generations. It could, well, it could turn the tide in this war on humanity." She said casting a glance at the boys.
Davi nodded and Kai leaned towards Julia, her eyes were fixed ahead and unmoving but I could tell she was listening. "Your power is rare, and it's strong. There are people on both sides who want to get their hands on it."
Julia spoke and as she did, I heard her voice was thick with tears, "and you?" I looked to her and saw as she scrubbed at her cheek. She sniffed quietly, Kai sighed and got up from the table. He went around me to her and put his arm around her, as he did I turned to Davi. His gaze was down on the table, he must've felt me staring his gaze went up and as he met my eyes he smiled.
He moved to stand beside me and I frowned, he took my hand and had me stand so he could take my seat, "really," I say quietly and he pulls me to sit on his lap. As I do, he wraps his arms around my waist and puts his head on my shoulder arching around me. As I went to speak, I caught Jason's eye, he gave me a mock, disappointed look and I shrugged. Kai spoke, "Jules, I don't care what you do. I want you to use your power for you."
She gave a wry chuckle and I smiled as she did, "ok," she says slowly clearly not believing him. "So, let's say Johnny is right-" she says and Kai scoffs. "He can't be. See," he says standing, "he doesn't know who it is. He doesn't even know your powers," he says pointing to her. "I've kept it secret, no one knows. You're effectively off the books. I'm pretty sure he knows- roughly- about you two," he says pointing to Timothy and Jason.
Jason shrugged and sneered, Timothy frowned but they didn't comment, "and you," Kai says turning to me. I shrink back in my seat, "he thinks you're a stray." I frown and look behind me at Davi, he sighs and has his eyes closed as if to say why did you say that?
"A stray?" I ask confused and Kai smiles, he runs his hand down the side of my face stopping with his finger under my chin so I look up at him. "A stray." He repeats just barely above a whisper, I raise my brow at him and he smiles dropping his hand, "meaning he thinks you don't have power. I felt bad for you and took you in for- other purposes." He doesn't speak after that just stares at me as the meaning washes over me.
I feel my cheeks redden as I hear Jason snicker and Doris say a silent 'oh my,' "now, as we all know- that's not true."
He started pacing now and I felt Davis' head tilt as he watched Kai, "you're strong and you've worked hard to hone your skills. However, I want him
To believe you're a stray." I open my mouth and he puts his finger to his lips, "Johnny isn't playing. He's gonna come for us. This isn't a simple rumor anymore, it's his life. When push comes to shove-" he paused and looked around the room at all of us. When his gaze landed on me, though, he stopped. Davis' grip tightened around me and I felt fear blossoming in my chest.
"When push comes to shove, he's going to shove. He's going to attack the weakest link in our chain and he's going to do it viciously. When he does," he paused and as he did his eyes wouldn't meet mine. I felt tears spring to my eyes, "I want you to let him." He said finally, it took about half a second for hell to break out.
I felt as my mind shut down and the world dimmed a little, my breathing hitched and I forced myself to calm. Julia shot up from her chair just as Jason slammed his hands on the table and Doris sucked in her breath. "Kai Michael Soto!" Julia yelled, he flinched but didn't look up and I felt Davi rubbing my back trying to help me keep calm and breathe. "Are you crazy? You want us to just let her die!?" My breathing was calming and that's when I realized it, "yes," I said quietly. I felt as everyone turned as one to stare at me as though I'd grown an extra head. "Y-yes. And no,"
Davi kisses my neck and I close my eyes and slowly rub my temples. "Look, I'm not saying it'll be pleasant. It's gonna hurt. Can you handle that?" As he looked at me, I saw the worry that was in his expression.
Kai was a calm person, had a head for patience games and knew where to strike when it came to people. But, right now, he looked like a scared little boy. In that moment, I decided I would never make Kai doubt me. If I needed to die, then I would. "I can, I've handled pain before I can handle this." I said it with more conviction than I felt, but once it was out I knew it was true.
The smile he gave was so filled with relief I almost felt as though I'd topple over. "Good, now moving on-"
Julia and Jason both looked utterly annoyed at having been ignored. She shot me a look that said we'll- talk-later.
"Johnny has business he needs our help with, I want you two," he says pointing to Timothy and Jason "to go first thing after this meeting. Doris, you too they could need a healer." She nods and Jason stared wide eyed, I turn to Davi who shrugs and I feel confusion building in me. "Why would you give Johnny Timothy and Jason? It- I'm sorry Kai- it doesn't make sense."
He turns to me and smiles, as he does I see a speck of confidence in his eye, he knows exactly what he's doing. "What better way to keep an eye on your enemy if not by doing business with them? Moving on, Julia." He says and looks at her expectantly, "how good are you at keeping a man in bed?" I blinked slowly, trying to figure out if I'd heard him right.
Jason snorted, Julia spluttered and Davi tensed behind me as she turned to glare at him. "Kai- you can't be serious?" She asked and I could see her cheeks reddening, she crossed her arms in front of her and Jason laughed. She flicked her wrist and he sucked in a breath and clenched his chest. "Ah," he said, "Julia," Kai says breaking her concentration. She sighs, once she looks away Jason sits back up, "ow," he mutters rubbing his chest and she turns to look at Kai.
"I'm not asking for personal reasons, you're my cousin. I'm asking for business reasons, I have it on good authority," he says enunciating the last two words and flicking his gaze to me and back. Why would he- I stiffen in Davis' grasp, "you slept with Julia?" I say turning to him and I see as his eyes go down and he refuses to meet mine. I purse my lips and Kai clears his throat, "yes they did, the good news is, it was before you." I give Kai a look to say you're-an-asshole but said nothing.
"Look, all that matters is you were all chosen for this. Specifically." He paused and looked at each of us in turn, "I trust each and everyone of you with my life, don't ever think otherwise."
I felt the weight of his words as they washed over me and cleansed away all bad feelings I'd had. Jason cleared his throat in the silence, "you just said though that you think one of us is the mole. I mean, how are we supposed to take that?" I bit my lip, he's not wrong, I thought sadly and as Kai answered I could hear the smile on his lips.
"True, however, I do trust each of you. You've become my family, I think it was leaked accidentally. Unintentionally. With that," he said and straightened up away from the table, "you three go get suited up," he said to Timothy, Jason, and Davi. "Julia," he says causing her to look up in defiance, "we'll continue our talk later."
She scoffs, and as she gets up to leave she shoved the chair with such force it shakes the table. After she's gone, Jason stands and nods for Timothy to do the same. They walk out of the room quietly with Doris.
I lean forward with my arms on the table thinking over everything that had been said, all that kept swirling around my mind though, was you were all chosen for a reason. What was that reason? Why did he choose me? I felt a nudge at my back and stood so Davi could get up, he touched my arm and I nodded showing I understood whatever it was he said.
I heard him sigh before he left. I felt the words start to swirl around again, the room was empty now and I felt like I was going to drown in these words. Why, what reason would he have to choose me? It makes no sense, I mean Timothy and Jason's powers are incredible it only makes sense. They can be trained but they already have a basic background sonwhywouldhechoosemeitma- "you ok?" I jumped as I heard the words. I felt my heart racing and as I straightened I realized my back ached.
"Ah," I say rolling my shoulders. I look to see who the owner of the voice was that spooked me, as I did I came face to face with- "Kai." I say quietly, he doesn't react or say much of anything but I see his eyes as they search my face.
He was looking for any hint of emotion to give me away, no sir not that easy. You want info- work for it. I felt as any emotion that had been on my face or in my eyes quickly vanished. We sat staring at each other for a moment before he leaned back evidently satisfied. He was sitting in the chair Julia had left vacant and he looked relaxed. It was almost odd how calm he was.
He put his arm on the table and leaned on his hand watching me, "whatcha thinking about?" He asks with a hint of an accent. As he does he bats his eyelashes and I can't help the wry chuckle that escapes my lips. "In a word? Everything," I put my head on my hand mimicking him and he purses his lips in thought.
"Hmm, fair enough. Anything in particular?" He asks, this time I can't meet his gaze. That feeling of sadness washes over me and rather than seeing pity in his eyes I drop mine. "Oh no ya don't," he says quietly. Next thing I know, I feel as his finger guides my chin back to face him. "Come on, talk to me. Somethings obviously bothering you," I bite my lip and feel as my brows furrow. "It-it's just, how can you say you trust us all equally when the others have done so much and I've done so little. I mean, I don't know."
I watch his face as he ponders this, looking for emotion but there's nothing there. "No," he says after a moment. I frown looking at him and he smiles taking my hands. "That's not what's bugging you, your eyes can tell me that. Come on, out with it. You've been in here for twenty minutes hunched over the table thinking hard. Talk to me."

I felt panic as he said this, not because I was afraid. Kai wouldn't hurt me, that wasn't it. It was the fact that he read and saw through it so easily. That was a little frightening. "Fine," I say quietly, I think about what I want to say going over each piece in my mind. I lick my lips in anticipation and begin. "It's just- you said we were picked for a reason." I say it slowly as though I'm testing it out trying to remember what exactly he'd said as though it weren't burned into my mind.
He nods but doesn't speak so I continue, "well, it's just that, see I understand why you'd choose Doris. She's- well she's Doris. She's a healer, not to mention a lot of the brain work and glue that holds us together." I look to him for confirmation and he smirks and nods so I continue, "Davi- well you're thick as thieves. So, that's a no brainer. Timothy and Jason are incredible. Even if Timothy has little control on his power-it's still amazing, and Jason evens him out so they're a packaged deal. Fine," I say slowly and he just stares at me.
He doesn't answer or agree, just watches, "Julia-
I think she was a happy accident." That gets his attention, I smile shyly and he sits straighter, "oh?" He questions, "yea, see I don't think you knew what her power would be. You knew she'd have one but you didn't know what, when her power blew out of control you acted on impulse. She's family and you wanted to protect her. Her having the power of the Grim, that was luck."
He laughed outright at that, "I suppose you're right with that. I didn't know what her power was or would be, I just knew she needed help." He shrugs and I laugh, "exactly! Now you got these amazing pieces on the board, and then- well, then here's me." He frowns and looks me up and down, "what's wrong with you? You're amazing." I chuckle at that and slowly tick things off on my finger, " let's see, I've barely gotten control of my power. That's one. I'm a mess physically and emotionally."
I pause and tap my finger to my chin, "well actually I feel pretty good at the moment but you get me,"
I say and wave my hands at him. He has an amused expression on his face but still says nothing. "Little to no control, no real understanding how anything works, and basically a punching bag. Why? Why would you ch-" just then the building shook. I gasp, "Jesus- earthquake?" I ask confused but Kai has a murderous look in his eye.
He helps me stand again as the shaking stops, "no. Not an earthquake." He says and as our eyes meet I get it. "Johnny." We say it in sync and I feel as my heart drops, uh oh.