One. . .Two . . . Three. . .
Lots of things are unplanned but accepted all the same
Surprises can change your life at any moment
How you let them change it is up to you
h 51 p
Pyra and Adam have been married for two years and some months and enjoying it.
They are still for the most part acting like newlyweds
Now since they were acting married way before they actually were its even worse to be around them
"You two are freaking married! Can't you stop with the PDA's already?" Matt exclaims interrupting the two for about the third time that day. Pyra and Adam turn to face Matt but instead of stopping Adam starts kissing Pyra's neck. "I'll see you whores later," he says walking away
"Now look at what you did," Pyra says lightly shoving Adam away.
"When did you start caring about Matt?" Adam asks.
"Oh please, I think you messed up my hair," Pyra says grinning.
"While you fix your hair I'll go get us some lunch." Pyra shakes her head at the departing Adam and then adjusts her messy ponytail. She walks down the hall then realizes she doesn't know in which direction the cafeteria is. When she finally does find it, Adam is waiting with turkey sandwiches for the both of them
She sits down and grabs the bottle of Cherry Coke
"The sandwich Pyra," Adam says and Pyra rolls her eyes and pucks up half the sandwich
She eats the half when she starts to feel funny
She gets up ignoring Adam's strange look and walks out of the cafeteria
She sees the door to the ladies room and walks in as her stomach lurches and she spends the next few minutes throwing up
She walks out of the bathroom and into Matt.
"You okay?" Matt asks having heard the vomiting.
"Fine." She replies already on her way back into the cafeteria. Matt follows and watches Pyra sit back down across from Adam. Matt is close enough to hear them talking
"And what was that?"
"I had to pee, no big."
Matt sees this as an opportunity and approaches Adam. "Hey can I talk to you?"
"Sure," Adam follows as Matt gets a tray and starts filling it with food
"Is Pyra sick?"
"No," Adam says. "Why?"
"She was losing her lunch in the bathroom."
"Are you sure?"
"There was no one else in there; the cleaning people had just come out."
"I wonder why she didn't say anything," Adam says more to himself than Matt.
"I think I know But you may not like it," Matt says.
"Just say it."
"Bulimia." Adam shakes his head.
"You're wrong."
"I hope so I don't think Pyra could last long without food."
"I guess that's how she eats so much and stays so little," Matt says and Adam grimaces.
He starts thinking about earlier that day when they were packing and Pyra pulled on and off a pair of low ride jeans completely buttoned. At the time it was nothing but now Matt had planted some seeds of doubt
Matt walks over with Adam to the table and sits down. Pyra looks at the both of them and starts rapping her nails on the table. Adam stops her hand as Matt hopes his front row seat to the melt down is worth it. If he couldn’t be with Nausi what right did any of them have to the women they loved. He had no idea if Pyra had been the only one in the bathroom, let alone if she had been throwing up. But he knew Pyra hated to be falsely accused of anything. She was liable to explode. He looks at Adam who had let go of Pyra's hand and was eating his food and realized he wasn't going to say anything.
"Cookie?" Matt says waving a large chocolate chip cookie at Pyra.
"Dude, I just ate," Pyra says starting to rap her fingers again.
"But you love these," Matt says. Pyra takes the cookie taking as long as it takes Matt to eat his meal and another cookie to finish it.
After a few minutes of small talk with Adam, Matt finally leaves to take care of some work. Adam is looking at Pyra pondering if he should mention Matt's suspicions. Pyra takes a sip of his water then puts it back down next to him
Adam pushes it back next to her and she nods, drinking a little more
"Say something."
"Something. You know better," Pyra says with a smile
"Sometimes it works," Adam says stopping Pyra's hand again, "You really have to stop that. What's bothering you?"
"Don't worry about it its nothing for the bearing of teeth."
"Not everything has to be the end of the world to matter. What is it?" Pyra looks at Adam's dark blue eyes clouded with worry, waiting for an answer.
"Rhinos. "
"What?" Adam says lost.
"You know that whole butterflies in the stomach? No butterflies are small and barely there, its rhino's damnit"
"You're nervous?!"
"Do that again and I'll start calling you Barbie, again."
"Its just that you never get nervous and you don't look it."
"Like it ever does," Pyra says hoping he won't pry anymore.
"You'll do fine," Adam says.
"Thanks darling," Pyra says placing Adam's hand on her face and closing her eyes.
"It will only take a few minutes today and tomorrow."
"I know, but its not something I ever wanted to do."
"Remember Lita?" Adam asks.
"He says like she isn't still here," Pyra responds.
"I recall you gave her a major beating, on and off camera," Adam says grinning.
"Stuff happens, its not my fault I'm a black belt."
Adam smiles and puts both hands on Pyra's face and reaches to kiss her
She stops him as the cookie comes back up and she swallows
She pops a piece of gum.
"Got another?" Pyra nods handing him one
She stands taking his hand and leads him out giving him a peck on the cheek and a hug
They pass Matt who gives Adam a questioning look and he just shrugs. They finally have to separate as Adam goes in for his meeting with Beth, and Pyra goes to checkout the props for the hardcore match.
Already there Lita and Jazz are sizing up the trash can lids and street signs. Lita is looking at a leather strap
"A relative?" Pyra asks making Jazz laugh.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lita asks.
"So Jazzie ole pal street sign, trash can lid, or should I swipe an Ana trademark and broomhilda you?"
"You know you could pin Lita," Jazz says.
"But that would mean touching her Can you say eww?” Pyra replies and starts laughing with Jazz as Mystic's brother rolls with his shopping cart.
"As a former hardcore great I should give you a few pointers."
"How about not?" Pyra asks balancing a broom stick on the back of her hand
Raven snatches it and holds it preparing to fight Pyra.
As usual to the few times Pyra has fought physically Raven is moving in slow motion, while Pyra is still moving at normal speed. One of the main reason reasons she didn't want to be a wrestler, to her a match lasted at least 3x as long. Raven was slowly lifting the boom to swing it at her and she would have to jump back in another minute
This was beyond boring.
As Raven is preparing his swing and Jazz is starting to say the words look out Pyra starts to feel dizzy and sinks to her knees attempting to see straight as Raven goes back to real time and is swinging at air
"What the?" He stammers seeing Pyra holding her head but knowing there wasn't an impact
"Pyra don't be so scared, props remember?"
"I'm just dizzy, I didn't want to fall," Pyra says.
"Yeah right dizzy," Lita says as Raven walks over.
"Hey this stuff can get really rough I don't recommend it half ass."
Pyra forces herself to her feet ignoring the spinning room. "I'm fine, a momentary lapse, so back off"
"Okay me and my cart are gone"
"Try and be nice and help and this is the thanks I get?" Raven mutters, pushing his cart out of the rec area they're using.
"Pyra are you really okay?" Jazz asks
"Yeah, I'm good"
"Hey now you're supposed to be able to attack me no questions asked"
"Just straight from the gut"
"I know I don't have to tell Mary Moo Cow over there she has four as we can plainly see."
"Oh shut up," Lita says walking out.
"I think I upset her," Pyra says smiling.
"Why do you hate her so much?" Jazz asks.
"We don't have time for that one there's only six hours until the show."
"The cliff notes?"
"Those are the cliff notes, here's the back of the book version. She messed with me and my closest friends and the devil doesn't have anything on the hell I want to put her through. That's me being nice"
"Wow I want to stay on your good side," Jazz says.
"There was only one other person I despised more than that cow."
"Was?"
"Oh she's quite dead"
h 2 p
Pyra walks backstage as the new hardcore champion. The match was one for the record books. Pyra was just supposed to be refereeing until Jackie interfered. Jackie knocked out Lita and then Pyra picked up the street sign Jackie used and discarded and looked at the picture. In the meanwhile Jazz knocks our Jackie and pins her. When Pyra doesn't count tracing out the letters on the sign instead, Jazz shoves her and Pyra knocks Jazz out with the sign<. She shrugs and pins Jazz using Jackie's limp hand to count since Jackie is a certified referee.
Pyra hand the title to some prop person who handles what's left of it very carefully. Adam passes her on his way to the ring. On the show at least their relationship was a pile of ashes gathering dust.
"Told you, you could do it," he says pulling one his jacket and Pyra smiles. She walks to find a monitor as another wave of dizziness hits her. She puts her head against the wall waiting for it to pass. When it does she watches his match in uncharacteristic silence.
Later that night Pyra and Adam are back at the hotel lying in a tub together. "We should be sleeping," Adam says splashing Pyra with a little water.
"Well I don't see you moving," Pyra says.
"Who's sitting on who?" Adam asks.
"Yeah like you can't lift me with one hand," Adam does just that dropping a kicking and laughing Pyra on the bed. "You're Crazy!" Pyra exclaims in tears, "How are we going to sleep on a wet bed?" Adam smiles his blond hair dripping at the ends.
"Who said anything about sleep?" Pyra returns the smile, glad she kept down their late dinner. She's felt so much better since and hopes the throwing up was a passing thing.
The next morning Adam orders in breakfast for them. He pours Pyra a glass of orange juice as she chooses a single shoulder white tank and black carpris for the late August weather. Pyra takes the cup and downs it in one sip. She then puts on black sandals.
The bagel Adam passes in front of Pyra's nose proves the throwing up isn't behind her.She pretty much dives across the room into the bathroom making it to the toilet just in time. When she is splashing her face she sees Adam reflected in the mirror standing in the doorway.
"How long?" He asks walking in.
"Yesterday morning," Pyra says then picks up her toothbrush.
"I thought you don't get sick? You're not doing this on-"
"Purpose?!" Pyra exclaims almost choking on tooth paste. "Are you nuts? Why would anyone want to do that?"
"But if you're not sick."
"Well I still do get headaches, maybe I missed the morning and afternoon vomiting."
"You should see your doctor."
"Tomorrow, the one that knows about all the weirdness."
"So what about now?" Adam asks.
"I stay away from the cafeteria at work and I'm good," Pyra says.
"But you won't eat, you'll be hungry."
I've done it before, I'll live, I just need a
Pyra waves her hand and her laptop appears on the bed, "a distraction"
"You know you don't have to keep things like this from me," Adam says following her back into the room
"Yeah but then you get all concerned and worried"
"I like your smile"
"Better or worse? Or worse you never seem to remember that part"
"Okay I won't lie and sat it won't happen again but I'll try"
Adam shakes his head but Pyra knows he accepted that answer because he knows its true
"How about you give in just once"
"Admit you're wrong? According to you you're never wrong"
"I'm not I'm always right and that's a fact"
"No you think you're never wrong there's a difference"
"Arg, don't get smart, Barbie"
"Wait where are we going?
I thought we'd stay in we haven't done that in awhile"
"Uh-huh, how many hours has it been four? Five?"
"No really, you never told me how it felt, You're hardcore champion now you know"
"You know I think I did forget kinda. But it was the usual everything moving in slow motion except me. Move as fast or as slow as I want. How do you stand it?"
"Its not like that for me everything is a rush, everything is going so fast."
"Good for you I'll leave the fighting to you. Dude! Take that over there.” Pyra says pointing to the other end of the room. Adam takes his bacon egg and cheese sandwich away from Pyra. "Thank you"
"Sure, make the appointment now please."
"Alright" Pyra says pulling out her cell, "trust"
"I trust you to avoid seeing your doctor."
"I wouldn't avoid my doctor, maybe the voodoo priestess." Pyra says dialing her office number
"Dr. Lisa's office how may we help you?"
"I'd like an appointment for tomorrow if possible?"
"One moment please"
"We have openings at 9am, 3pm and 4:30 on Thursday"
"Um, 3pm thanks"
"Okay and who is this appointment for?"
"Pyra Copeland, thanks bye," Pyra hangs up the phone
"See I did it"
"Are you coming?" Adam nods
They spend the rest of the day lounging in the hotel room instead of their usual exploring
Pyra is in and out of sleep which worries him more
They then go to work where he is less than happy about leaving her side
"I'm a big girl now really," Pyra says shoving him away lightly
After a lengthy kiss he goes on his way
Pyra goes out into the seats
She sees purple and green practically glowing topped off with bright blue
She waves and Jeff sits up but doesn't wave back, though Pyra knows she has his full attention
"Hola Ana," Pyra says taking a seat in the row in front of him
"What's going on?" Jeff asks pointing to the messenger bag
"Laptop, I'm going to be here for a while. I'm not eating"
"Why not?"
"The smell I don't want to see what's left in me"
"Oh I understand"
They spend some time talking about new bands and their plans to go shopping that Friday.Than Jeff’s stomach gets the better of him and he goes off to eat. Pyra pulls out her laptop and sticks a pair of headphones into the side. She has it play a mix of old and new with the first track being Don’t want you back followed by a torrent of hate filled rock songs far from the first time the line about a shark attack sticks in her head and she gets a story idea, unsure of a title she skips a couple of spaces then starts.
The stories are true, the secrets whispered in the night. Disney almost got it right. I’m about to give you a fright, the true story of Atlantis you learn tonight.
~ 1~
17 year old Kevin Flysman sits up in his bed in a cold sweat. He had been having the same nightmare for weeks on end. He was swimming in water but not really, and he was being attacked. He would go to land but he wouldn’t be able to breathe and he couldn’t get back into the water, so he would stay on land and then he would die as the sun started to rise.
He could just make out the numbers on his digital clock 3:42am. He had a math test first period he didn’t have time for this, what did he care for a city beneath the sea. For pete’s sake he was probally the only guy in southern Cali that couldn’t swim. Kevin flops back down on his bed and gets at the most another hour of sleep as he tosses and turns. He surivies the math test and the morning and heads to lunch.
All he had to do was sit down and they appeared like moths to a flame, or so his best friend sometimes girlfriend Kelly said about his friends.
“One day I’m going to put a Kevin dummy right here and see what happens,” She says leaning on his back as all his friends take seats at the table some with trays.
“Kev man, Me and the guys are having a surf Party on Saturday you in? Right by the old pier, cause is so great for diving you know?” His friend Brad asks.
“I uh . . .”
“Sorry guys we’re going to be having hot passionate sex, yep right here in my palm,” Kelly says showing off the palm of her hand, “sex with Kevin so he just can’t possibly make it.” Kevin knows his ears look like Brad’s Jello mold bt he can’t help it. Kelly sounded perfectly serious. And she was pulling on said ears with her teeth.
“You heard the girl she wants my bod.” Kevin says as Kelly starts pulling on his gold hoop.
“With options as limited as this, I take whatever I can find.”
Kevin stops Kelly when Alex his other best friend approaches. She still didn’t know how much he liked her and it had been the reason he had broken up with her in sophomore year. Granted it had been pointless, she had gone out with some tree hugger, then flew solo for a while then right back to him. Never looking once in Alex’s direction. Alex takes a seat next to him.
“You up for a party? You can show off those killer surfing skills,” Brad asks.
“You know Kelly, I could be a lot more fun than Kevin, if you know what I mean,” Lyle says.
“Two things, one I don’t want syphilis and two I heard you come up short in that area. If you know what I mean,” Kelly says sending the table into an uproar.
“Why you little . . . “
“Don’t even,” Kevin says and Lyle starts attacking his lunch with a spork.
“I get the hint, who knew I was right,” Kelly walks away and sits with her friends the social pariah. Kevin looks and realizes he would never have the guts to hang out with the unpopular kids, no matter how interesting he thought they were. He just tried to be decent to them which was more than he could say for his friend Brad. He was like a character out of TV. the blond surfer jock, with the perfect look for a tan commercial and the lack of a brain that mad him know he only got girls from his looks. He turned to Alex not exactly the surfer type, most people probably thought he was training to be a Laker or something, but he hated basket ball.
“Kevin you’re going to come right?” Alex asks.
“I think me and Kelly are going to be doing stuff,” Kevin says.
“You know Marci is coming,” Alex says as Brad, Lyle, Devon, and Mike start a pea war.
“That’s the new girl from . . . whatever so,” Kevin says launching a few pea’s of his own.
“So? I think she’s hot,” Alex says peaing Lyle.
“Talk to her, she’ll like you everyone does.”
“Kelly didn’t.” Kevin flings another pea but it doesn’t even make it to the center of the round lunch table. “Look I didn’t mean it like that. She didn’t know, you didn’t know.” Kevin just nods.
“I’ll come. I’ll talk you up.”
“Don’t be obvious or anything.”
“Dude I can keep it cool.”
“Who told you that lie?” Kelly asks behind him again.
“When did you . . . wanna come to the party?”
“But I thought . . . What about You know?”
“I’ll handle it . . .I’ll explain later.”
~2~
“No dummy don’t wear that, they can become shorts.”
Kelly was sitting on his bed trying to find a way to get him out of having to go into the water. She on the other hand was in a red Bikini top and white board shorts. She stands and shoves past him. She hands him a pair of dark blue jeans.
“Lose the boxers,” She says matter-of-factly.
“What? I’m not stripping in front of you.”
“Its way too late to start being shy.”
“Why?”
“Boxers and swim trunks are interchangeable. No boxers no swimming.”
“But Jeans?” She hands him a pair of cargo pants with a cotton lining.
“For sensitive areas.” Kevin indicates for Kelly to turn around and she does and sneaks a peek at his bare bottom leaving her to wonder if he tans in the buff.
“Okay we can go now.”
The party ends up being centered at an abandoned pier, which is used to hold the drinks and as a diving board though its nearly impossible to climb back on the pier once you jump off. Brand jumps over and splashes water on Kelly, Alex, and Kevin’s feet.
“Why aren’t you guys swimming, its too hot to just sit there.”
Alex shrugs and Kevin says. “No trunks.”
“Boxers dude,” he says pointing to his own.
“Not wearing any,” Kevin says.
“Why the Fuck not?” Brad yells.
“I took them one of my many trophies,” Kelly says.
“She’s joking right?” Brad asks. Kevin shakes his head and exposes part of a butt cheek.
“Sick man,” He says and swims away.
“You think he believes that stuff?” Alex asks.
“Brad is quite dim,” Kelly says as she jumps into the water.
”Look there’s Marci come on go.”
Kevin nods and stands and gets a cup of rum punch he isn’t going to drink. One sniff of that stuff and he wouldn’t know up from down. He walks over to Marci who watches him approach. He can see why Alex liked her, she reminded him of Barbie and was probably just as much plastic but he had no complaints as long as you looked good. Getting a bad boob job would put you right up there with a fat chick. But fat girls seemed always to have good personalities, at least the few he knew and that made up for a lot. And its not like they were scary fat like you see on the news. Why was he thinking about fat people? Back to Marci.
“Hey, Marci right?”
“Yeah,” she says giggling tossing a blond curl.
“So how’s it going?”
“Well, like uh this is like a party right and like the punch is like spiked and everything,” She says giggling more as Kevin pours it over the side of the pier. What a ditz, he wondered if Alex had ever heard her speak. The boy was like a point off from being valedictorian without trying, he wouldn’t put up with this for long. Well a deal is a deal let Alex deal with her.
“Hey, do you know my friend Alex?”
“The black kid?” Kevin became a little wary at this. Yeah there were like five black kids at Tierra High in all the grades but it was something about the way she said it bothered him.
“Um yeah,” Kevin says a little stumped.
“So like not my type. I couldn’t ever. . .like, like a black guy. Like I’m not like racist or anything like that but like one? Like no way! And he’s like been starring at me. I so like don’t want that, tell him to like drop dead.”
“I get the point,” Kevin mutters.
”But You’re like totally hot,” She grabs him and he can smell the rum on her breath as she kisses him. He pushes away wiping the slobber from his mouth and walks back to the edge of the pier where Alex watched the scene unfold.
“You bastard!” Alex exclaims. “I’m always going to be second banana to you? You think that’s what I want.” He says shoving him towards the edge of the pier. Its like the Iron man competition as everyone swims further down the pier where some one dropped a rope as a way out without swimming to the beach and walking back.
Everyone is ready to see a fight and starts cheering them on. The only thing is that both guys are really popular and few people know what spurred this on but since Alex looks ready to kill the chant turns in his favor. It doesn’t last long. Alex swings and Kevin doges by stepping back and to the side.
“Kevin Look out!” Kelly says as he steps back to avoid another punch. He realizes he doesn’t have room to step back and at the same time Alex’s punch makes an impact. The air goes flying out of his lungs as he goes flying off the side of the pier. He bobs up instantly and grabs a barnacle covered part of the pier and holds on for dear life as he tries to catch his breath.
Kevin’s skin starts prickling like he was being stabbed by a thousand needles. Alex was yelling something but the water was much louder and then there was the singing. Get out of the water! Every part of his body was screaming it. But as sure as his best friend had just punched him he let go of this thing her would go one way down. He reached up, never noticing how high the pier was. But there was something a ball of some sort. Lost in the shadow of the pier. He got a hold of it easily and tugged, it felt stable so he pulled harder and started the climb up when it fell with him falling over him. Of all things an old fishnet with what looked like cannon balls attached to it to sink it down to the floor.
The net was pulling him down. But it wasn’t bothering him the way it should all he seem to really notice was the music. No this wasn’t right, he should never be in water the burning in his lungs proved it. He started fighting violently and got the net off but couldn’t propel himself to the surface. He touched bottom about 20 feet down, it might as well be twenty miles. His lungs burning he couldn’t take it anymore. He opened his mouth to take a breath. The water was choking him but what did it matter, he felt a smile as the water filled his lungs. The last her saw was a flash of red then every thing went black.
Pyra finally notices she isn’t alone matt and Adam were sitting about a section away talking about something. They had scripts in their laps but she doubted that was it. Matt looks up in her direction and she waves he nods and goes back to his conversation. Strange how Adam and Matt were such good friends; Pyra never could figure out what they had in common besides work Matt was a grade a butt munch and she trusted him about as much as he liked butter free foods. Even before the whole Jason dying thing, these two were close. Pyra stops dwelling on it wanting to get back to her story.
~3~
Was he being kissed? Why did his chest hurt so much. Open your eyes Kelly was pinching his nose. He tried to shove her away but his arms felt like lead She leaned down and forced air into his lungs. When did he close his eyes again. What was going on? Sit up! He commanded his body and ignores the pain as he pulls himself to a sitting position. He coughed up what felt like a good chunk of the pacific.
He focuses and sees Kelly confused he opens his mouth to speak and she gives him a hug tears in her eyes. He takes a breath and he feels like he is drowning all over again. He’s gasping in Kelly’s arms as the EMT’s arrive. The quickly put a mask on his face and feed him some pure oxygen. They start listening to his heart and they tell Kelly that she did a great job but step aside. When he starts to breathe normally they remove it but insist he goes with them to the hospital.
He reluctantly agrees as he looks at the crowd of bystanders. Alex was gone, but everyone seemed glad he was going to live. He has Kelly join him in the ambulance and they ride to the hospital. It turns out he suffers from some kind of condition where you can continue to drown once out of the water. Its pretty rare everywhere but there. They gave him something like an inhaler and said the attacks could keep happening. He nodded glad he didn’t have to stay the night. Kelly is still with him as he enters his house and see his dad’s briefcase on the floor.
“Great,” Kevin mutters. His father walks past them on his cell phone nods in their direction, picks up the briefcase and keeps walking to his den. “Ah the corporate lawyer. For a second there I thought he would notice.”
“Aren’t you going to tell him what happened?”
“You know what’s worse than a parent that ignores you?” Kelly shakes her head. “One that suddenly thinks you’re an invalid that has to be watched twenty four seven. When I broke my leg that guy wouldn’t go away he hired a freaking nurse.”
“You were 8,” Kelly says.
“Anyway I’ll take the guy that throws money at me, shows up for special occasions and pencils me in for a father son chat every once in a while.”
“I’ll never understand you, all you have is your dad and you ignore him. Why?”
Kevin ignores the question as he goes into the kitchen. He didn’t know why. It was like he knew it would be better for his dad if he could forget he had a son. His dad had said way to often he had his mother’s eyes. He gets two pans and throws a veggie burger in one and a hamburger in the other. He takes out two soda’s and they sit across from each other.
“Thank you,” Kevin says.
“That’s my line,” Kelly replies opening her smoothie.
“No at the beach you saved my life,” Kevin says.
“Oh . . . Kelly says looking at her burger. Her brown hair starts to fall into her face and Kevin pushes away the dripping strands. “when we pulled you out, I was so scared I thought . . .”
He walks over to her and gives her a hug. “I’m not going anywhere.” He can fell her nod and he lets go and finishes his meal.
“Man I want out of these clothes, and I think there’s sand in my pants. I’ll be back in a bit.” Kevin says as Kelly throws him the bag with his inhaler. “Thanks.”
In the shower Kevin feels like he can fly. His energy is through the roof as he turns the water off. He towels his face neck and shoulders when the feeling of not being able to breathe happens again with a burning in his neck and chest. He ties the towel around his waist and stumbles into his room not even noticing Kelly on his bed. He reaches for the inhaler that was flung so carelessly next to his computer. He rips open the bag and gives it a few quick squeezes like he was shown. He sinks to the floor as he tries to catch his breath.
“Are you okay?” He looks at Kelly. “Okay stupid question.”
The burning in his neck and chest subside along with all the energy he felt during the shower. Even the walk to his bed feels exhausting.
“Lie down, you look terrible.” He obeys and is asleep almost instantly.
The next morning Kevin wakes up with an arm around Kelly but the surprising thing is his father standing over him. He’s surprised his dad looks upset, his tie isn’t tied and his shirt is rumpled. His father indicates for him to come outside. Glad that his dad goes out first he pulls on the same pants from before then walks out. All he needed is the sex talk again.
“Hey dad.” His father gives him a hug. “Dad?”
“Why didn’t you tell me? I had to find out from Alex.”
“What does it matter? I’m fine.”
“Kevin we’re all we have left, don’t leave me out like this.”
“Okay dad I’m sorry.” His father seems to want to say more. “What?”
“What did I walk in on?”
“Nothing,” Kevin says hoping his ears aren’t red.
“Okay son, but be responsible. We wouldn’t want two fathers here.”
“Aw dad!” His cell rings much to Kevin’s joy and he escapes back into his room.
Kelly is still sleeping and he goes into his bathroom. He showers again feeling the same energy and crash along with another attack. He is pulling on a sleeveless shirt when Kelly wakes up.
“Woo! Take it off, take it off!” Kelly says.
“You first.” When Kelly starts untying the strings of her bikini he turns away.
“You’re so easy,” she says tying it back on. “what did you do to your hair?” Kelly asks standing next to him.
Kevin goes to the mirror and under the light he sees a few blue strands in his et black hair. “Nothing.” He says wondering what’s going on with him.
The shadow that falls over Pyra gets her to stop typing. She looks up into Adam’s blue eyes and he smiles. She saves the file as Atlantis still trying to decide on a name. She’s shutting down the laptop when he starts talking.
“You have to see Beth now.”
“Oh okay,” she says sliding the Viao into her messenger bag. She walks into the room where, Torrie, Trish, Nausi, Jazz, and Jackie are sitting waiting. Pyra takes a seat.
“You are wearing a bull’s eye today, the competition will just get harder and harder.”
“So Trish is first up?” Pyra says with a smile.
“No you lose to Trish on heat. The Lady Hardcore title will revert back to its original owner. ”
“Look at that.”
“Yeah you have a successful night on Smack Down just to lose on heat.”
“Woo hoo!” Pyra says. “And when will I do all this?”
“Oh we’re going to tape the segments at six. So you have about another two hours to do things best left in the home with that husband of yours.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Pyra says with mock innocence.
“Who hasn’t seen these two, like beast in heat?” No one raises a hand.
“Whatever,” Pyra says turning the pages of the script.
h 3 p
With Camera’s rolling Pyra walks down the hall to tape the last segment. She stops when she sees a black lava lamp with red lava. She is looking at it and doesn’t see Trish approach with a steel chair from behind, she knocks Pyra on the head pins her and walks off with her title leaving the lamp.
Pyra takes a seat and continues to watch the lamp. A while later Jeff interrupts her by passing his hand between her face and the lamp. “What are you doing?”
“Oh, wow I’m going to walk away from this lamp now,” Pyra stands and is dizzy all over again. She just makes it into the now empty green room with Jeff trailing right behind her. She takes a seat and Jeff remains standing.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t know, yet. Doctor tomorrow,” Pyra says. Jeff looks at her oddly and she recognizes that look of suspicion.
“Dude, like I told Barbie, nothing for the barring of teeth or whatever it is you bare.”
“You would know, I guess. So we still on?”
“Dude, shopping with you and Mystic is way too much fun.”
“Be on time.”
“Now why would I do a crazy thing like that?” Jeff sighs and Pyra looks up at her crazy haired friend. “I’ll try, not very hard but I will.” Jeff shakes his head as Pyra stands.
“How normal are you?” Jeff asks. Pyra thinks about how if this was anyone else except maybe Adam she would be insulted or at least defensive.
“I don’t get sick because my body temperature is too high. Since the reason people have 104 temperatures is to fight colds and stuff they don’t survive long enough to do any damage. Besides that things are pretty normal.”
“Normal?”
”Just cause I can start fires on water, floods, or take over the world doesn’t make me different.” They walk out and go their separate ways. Pyra goes to her locker room and gets her messenger bag. She sits on one of the plush couches and pulls out her laptop wondering how long Adam's gonna take. She puts on her head phones opens Atlantis and becomes oblivious to the world.
She decides she doesn't like the opening and decides to change it . . .
The storm was coming she could feel it in her bones. Why did she ever think she'd be able to stay. She wasn't like the other girls in this world or the next. All she hoped was that the hex worked.
A land beneath the sea
A life underwater
No need do I see
The sun is my guide
From the water do I hide
My life it'll never take
Lest I revert to my true state
A prince lost he'll be
A man free he'll be
Lest he breath for life in the sea
She tucked the bundle tighter as the first drops of rain fell. The sky was, as she knew she would never have a chance to say goodbye to the sun, or the man she loved but she prayed he would understand. At least they would never know. The talk from her father had frightened her, for a moment , “The sea is a part of him he will find his way to it. It can’t be stopped.”
m But he didn’t know, and he never would.
She looked down at her baby, even now his tiny blue eyes opened, his little hands grasping for the water laughing. She walks into the house and carefully places him in his sleeping fathers arms. She kisses each one on the forehead dropping a tear on her sons face.
Pyra stops hearing some noises through the music. Looking up she sees the cow attacking a locker trying to get it open. Pyra waits until she pulls with all her might and Pyra makes the door open sending the cow falling backwards. Pyra laughs hysterically until she almost falls out of the chair. When she regains her composure she goes back to her story. She figures that’s a good prologue and continues from the last line she typed before.
. . . wondering what’s going on with him.
He decides he is imagining the dark blue hair and Kelly is talking about the lack of gel. When she squeezes some into his hair he’s sure of it. But he has to push her away when she tries to spike his hair. He watches her go into the bathroom, and pulls her ‘overnight’ bag out from under his bed. She slept over so much over the years he had done laundry for her. He puts it into the bathroom without looking in and flops down on his bed to wait.
She returns in gray sweats and a pink tank top running a towel through her light brown hair. Kevin notices her bright blue toes and white glitter.
”Kevin you’re gay.” Kelly says matter of factly.
“What?! I am not gay!”
“You didn’t peek! I peeked, what are you looking at? My toes!”
“So you want me to be like Brad?” Kevin asks annoyed.
“What are you sick? You’d never see me again how can you be his friend?” Kevin shrugs. “Prove it.”
“What?”
“That you’re not gay.”
“How would I do that?” Kelly smiles.. “oh.”
“Your ears are red, very red.” She climbs onto his lap and they start making out.
Kelly was pulling at his shirt. She could pull at whatever she wanted as long as she kept kissing him. She was so soft. Alarm bells started sounding in his head. Why was Brad standing there, now it was Alex and he was watching them.
“You don’t belong, you don’t belong, you don’t belong,” Kelly had pulled away from him and was chanting along with Alex, “you don’t belong, you don’t belong.” The next thing he knew he was in that beautiful underwater city. The people had an unearthly beauty even as they were preparing for war. They looked at him and drew spears. “Outsider! Fraud! Be Gone! Be Gone!”
“But this is where I belong,” Kevin pleads.
“You don’t belong! You will never belong! You don’t belong.” Then one of them threw his spear at him, he turned to run and it hit him in the back, the pain was so intense it woke him up. The dream was so vivid it takes him a moment to get his bearings. Kelly was still in the shower and he had only closed his eyes for a second or so he thought.
No more sleep for him, he just felt more tired, and he could do with out anymore dreams. The last one had started out so well. His mind wandered back to the spear, what a mood killer and now his shoulder was throbbing. And what was with all that chanting. He belonged just fine, if he dated head cheerleader he’d be an all American boy but she was about as interesting as paste. How could someone be so devoted to cheerleading? Well she probably would be a Laker Girl.
Football season wasn’t happening, but it was a nice distraction. It helped him rationalize the injury. It was an old football thing acting up, so what if he couldn’t remember it. Now it was burning and becoming quite unbearable. He tried rolling his shoulders but ended up having to bite back a scream. Kelly returns showered and dressed.
“What’s wrong?” Kelly asks sitting besides him.
“I feel like I was shot in the shoulder.”
“Lie down.” He does as he’s told and she climbs onto his lower back. “Always on top.” Kevin barely reacts as she starts to kneads his shoulder, “Wow take off your shirt.” Kevin obeys which isn’t easy since Kelly doesn’t move. “You could have told me you got a tattoo.”
“Kelly stop talking crazy.”
Kelly remains silent as the blue green arrow head design fades and then finally vanishes, leaving a thin red line that also fades after a few more seconds. Kelly continues the massage making comments at the sounds Kevin is making. By the end of the massage she has convinced herself that she hadn’t seen anything.
“Thank you,” Kevin says as he turns over so Kelly is now sitting on his lower abdomen. “You know you can move now.”
“Make me.” Kevin flips Kelly so she is under him and kisses her. The next few minutes are a play by play replay of his dream. The knocking falls on deaf ears, and Alex not expecting anything walks into the room.
“Jesus!” He exclaims causing the two to pull apart as Alex turns around. “Sorry!”
Though they had pulled apart Kevin was still on top of Kelly. She looked up at him but he remained silent. He closes his eyes and remains silent as he gets off her and searches for his shirt.
“Can I turn around yet?” Alex asks.
“No Kevin is still topless, your eyes just can’t handle it.” Alex turns and gives Kelly the pinky a friendly euphemism for the real finger of insult.
“Uh kev, I called before . . . its just that . . . I never . . . I didn’t . . . I mean I . . .”
“Its okay,” Kevin says knowing Alex must have been upset not even to be able to form proper sentences. The only other time he got like this was around girls. “I’ll live.”
“Its just I saw you . . . and I snapped.
“Okay.” Alex smiles relieved and Kevin returns the grin and Kelly shakes her head not believing that’s the end to Alex almost Killing Kevin over a Britney body double none the less. She’s not as forgiving.
“You call that an apology?”
“Kelly its fine.”
”No! He could have killed you, all over some blond ditz who can’t add one and one and get two.”
“You’re overreacting . . .” Alex starts.
“Overreacting! I’m sorry I must have imagined Brad dragging Kevin out of the water and having to give him CPR. Of course I must be overreacting!” Kelly yells shaking all over.
“It was an accident! Its not like I threw that stupid net over him. If that hadn’t happened he would have been fine.”
”That’s a nice little fairytale to tell yourself so you can sleep at night.”
“Fairytale?! It’s the damn truth. It was all that net right kev . . . Kevin back me up here.”
“I can’t,” He mutters, knowing how close he came to dying was unnerving him. Why couldn’t Kelly have just dropped it.
“So you’re still mad? Why didn’t you say so?” Alex says ready to leave.
“You don’t understand,” Kevin says looking at the far wall, “I can’t swim.”
“God!” Alex exclaims. He starts to apologize all over again, getting the words out. Kelly and Alex both leave after a while since Kevin is eerily silent.
~4~
Graduation . . .
Kevin was standing between Alex and Kelly, ever since that stupid party there had been tension every time the three of them got together. It was weird especially since he had gotten so much closer to Kelly. He hoped in time it would pass, if he could forgive Alex why couldn’t Kelly. Kelly was tugging at his sleeve insisting he zip up his canary yellow robe. As he did he notices the chain his father had given him. The band continues to play but Kevin had become oblivious.
His father had called him downstairs early that morning and he figured it was some kind of you’re becoming a man speech. He was right in a way but he wasn’t prepared for what happened next. His father had never mentioned the blue hair that was getting on the green side nowadays. He wondered what he would say if Kevin admitted the only thing he put in his hair was Pert Plus and gel. Kelly had been so proud and he had worked hard to not laugh. Looking at the pendant not only reminded him about his hair but it brought back the conversation. The strangest one he and his father had ever had in his opinion. He still felt it was some kind of sick joke. What mother?
He explained that she had shown up one day when Kevin was still a baby, given him the box and said to give it to give it to Kevin when the time was right. In the box had been a silver necklace, it had a bluish green teardrop stone wrapped in a sliver spiral that ended in a burst of thin lines. He put it on to make his dad happy. He didn’t ask any questions, he had stopped caring. Maybe it would have been better if she were dead. The necklace had proved something to him, he didn’t hate his mother and he sure as hell didn’t love her, where she was concerned he just didn’t.
Well she wouldn’t bring him down today. He had perfected not thinking about her and what ifs by the time he was seven. His grandparents had flown down from Seattle to see him. It was funny, Kelly, his and Alex’s parents were probably more comfortable sitting together than their children were.
Something stung the back of his neck and turned to see Brad flicking things at him and other unsuspecting graduates. He was surprised that Brad was even graduating. Lucky for him, his seat at Yale had been reserved at birth. Good Riddance. He and his two best friends were going to UCLA. Alex had gotten an Academic scholarship and talked his parents into getting him a Jaguar for it and Kelly’s community service had her weighed down with awards and such. He was the odd man out, way too rich, not smart enough and not dumb enough for anything major, not that it mattered to him.
The band had finally stopped playing but his ears were still ringing Sure dad, it’s the Korn and Blink-182 that are going to make me deaf. He was going to go deaf at his own graduation. Who’s brilliant idea was it to give a full band speakers?
The graduation turned out to be long and boring and Kevin wondered how many people shared the thought that this is want they waited four years for. The speech by the valedictorian was by far the high part. She was a mousy looking girl with a vicious sense of humor that reminded him of Kelly. He sort of wished he knew, but she was one of those people who fell under his radar the last four years. When she was done Kelly stood and cheered like a guy at a football game.
“Yeah! Go Sara!” It figured, she seemed to know everyone that fell below his ‘radar’. She sat back down grinning madly. “Can you believe it only took her 20 minutes to whip that out?”
“Really? That’s cool.”
“What?” Alex asks out of the loop. He repeats Kelly’s statement and Alex nods.
When they go to their parents they are blinded by flashes of professionals and parents. They are then taken to a restaurant for a late lunch. Afterwards they are freed and all change and meet back up for a beach bonfire party.
Kevin walked around making appearances and wondering vaguely why he was bothering. His status was about to be null and void. With maybe ten other kids from his graduating class going to UCLA. He saw a girl with flat brown hair and no makeup sitting in front of the fire. Usually someone he would not even have seen but she looked familiar. He decided to approach her.
“Hello.”
“You actually see me? I would have thought you had a blind spot the exact size and shape of me,” He recognizes her voice instantly and ignores the comment.
“I liked your speech, it was the best part of the whole thing.”
“Good for you, you’ve done your good deed for the month, you can go now.”
“Uh . . . okay?” Kevin says not sure what else to do but leave and she starts laughing.
“Kelly is so right you’re too easy. You really liked my speech?”
“Yeah.”
“Your friend seemed to take offense.”
“Friend? I do have more than one.”
”The beyond stupid surfer one.”
“Brad. Yeah well Brad’s wiped out a few times too many.”
“How on earth did he get into Yale?” She says more to herself.
“His dad and granddad and a whole lot more went there, its like in his DNA.”
“Right after blond and dimwit. It’s a shame that stuff hasn’t stopped.”
“Whatever.”
“You’re fine with that? That he didn’t get in with his own merit?”
“Its no big deal, if it wasn’t Yale it would have been somewhere else. Once he gets out his seat in Daddy’s company is waiting for him, probably being kept warm by some shmuck.”
”What about the person who didn’t get into Yale and actually deserved it or the poor shmuck as you like to say.”
“Never really thought about that,” Kevin says realizing that must really suck and wonders if Sara isn’t a poor shmuck.
“It must be nice to live in your little bubble where the little guy doesn’t exist,” Sara says standing and walking away. Kevin shrugs, this was why he never got along with Kelly’s friends. Around them his foot seemed lodged in his mouth if he had told his own friends the same exact thing they would have nodded and said if someone could get into Yale they could get into somewhere else. Kelly’s friends always expected something profound. Was it a crime if he didn’t care? Would they rather he faked it like Lyle did to pick up whatever girl was hid flavor of the week.
Save the whales, free the frogs, hug a freaking tree. There were other people to care about those things, they didn’t need him. Kevin looked over at the water and saw himself just beneath the surface, wait that wasn’t possible he was too far away for a reflection. He looked again and it was gone.
~5~
“Its true, how did you do it?”
“There was nothing to be done, he was second born they would have disposed of him. I did what I thought was right. But as we feared they haven’t been driven back. They knew the prophecy before we did. Until they were cast out they killed all second royal twins claming they were doing it to secure the throne. Now we need him.”
“Just say it, you choose the wrong son. Everyday more of the army turns its back on me and joins the enemy.”
“Adriel . . . don’t be foolish no matter what happens you are and will always be crown prince. We need the two of you. And if they get a hold of him before we do . . .”
“Have you ever thought he may not want to help us? He’s not one of us.”
“He’s family, he is one of us.”
“I don’t know, he wasn’t drawn to the water I don’t like it.”
Adriel and his mother walked into the council chamber. They take their seats at the head of the table that was in the shape of the sign of royal house. The tear drop and the spiral burst. Half the seats are empty the traitors that were leading the uprising. All because he had ease dropped how they would never need to fear. No twins would ever be in the royal house.
“For 500 years we have been deceived. Countless . . .” The council man stopped. Adriel knew the false prophecy by heart.
Two born to claim the royal line
Second born
Refuses to be second in line
The kingdom torn asunder
As they destroy one another
Second born
That’s where it will all start
For the sake of the kingdom
Destroy the evil heart
Don’t let the same faces tear it apart
Only the true king can unlock the inner heart
“But now we know what the true prophecy says,” His mother says. “The twins are the key.” The most important line in the true prophecy was the twin kings can unlock the inner heart. The trumpet of arms sounds and he wonders if this is the best way to bring his brother home as the guards gather.
Kevin was sitting on the beach alone with Kelly. They had moved a couple times to avoid hearing and/or seeing not so kosher couples that had also stayed behind when the party ended. He was starting to wonder what about getting it on on the beach was so enticing. He’d prefer not to have sand in his crotch. The party had been a nice end to it all. Alex and Sara had hit it off and were off somewhere. The sun was starting to rise as Kelly nestled closer in his arms. Neither one noticed the six forms climb out of the water. They ate drawn to a noise and find Marci and Brad passed out and snoring. They shake their heads and keep moving.
“How will we know?” One of the soldiers asks as he steps over a homeless man.
“He will look like the crown prince,” the woman responds squinting in the light. “There!” She says pointing in the direction of the fully risen sun at a boy with sparkling blue hair surf board in hand. He starts to run to the water. “He’s trying to escape after him!”
The water foams as a beautiful pale woman with silver hair and a coral crown with a blue stone in the center emerges followed by five spear brandishing warriors. She points in the direction of the surfer.
“You three save him from those fools as I go collect my son.” The two remaining warriors follow her as she is drawn to Kevin who is wearing the pendant.
Kevin who is oblivious to all this starts to fall asleep. His mother is standing over him and Kelly when Kelly wakes up. She looks at the barely there clothes and weird skin.
“What’s going on?” She says thinking she’s been asleep longer than she knows. “Are we in a scene? We’ll move.” Kelly shakes Kevin who yawns stretching his arms. He looks up at his mother and the two men confused.
“Woah, could you like put any less on?”
“You will not speak to the queen of Atlantis like that,” the guy says putting a spear centimeters from his throat.
“Stop as surely as he is your prince I am your queen, he is your prince.” He draws back his spear and kneels.
“Forgive me my prince.” Kevin ignores him and looks at the queen as the other three return. “They have been dispatched my lady.” Her words seem to slowly sink into his head.
“Are you saying you’re my mother?”
“And you my son,” She says touching the pendant as he pulls away. Kelly on the other had catches a few more things.
“Hold on, you’re telling me that not only is Atlantis real Kevin is from there?”
“From there? Young lady he is royalty there, he is Atlantis.”
“This isn’t funny,” Kevin says standing, “Take your costume store reject clothes and leave me alone I don’t have a mother.” He starts walking away pulling Kelly along and is surrounded. “Jokes over if you don’t stop now I’ll call the cops.
“I had hoped you would come of your own free will but they will force you if they must.”
”Lady you must be out of your mind,” Kevin says pulling out his cell.
”I told you he’d never help us,” Adriel says coming up behind her.
”You were to remain in the palace!” The queen says sternly.
Kevin and Kelly both stare in open mouth shock. Adriel really was Kevin’s twin, the same blondish bluish hair, the same eyes, the same face but a skin that had never seen the light of day. Adriel approaches Kevin and Kelly notices slight differences. Adriel clearly had a more powerful upper body and rock hard Abs while Kelly liked to joke Kevin’s were still a little squishy around the edges. His eyes also looked like glass. It was also easy to see he was a different person. Kevin was shameless staring at his brother while Adriel was casually looking between the both of them. The thought made her blush. When he turns to the queen and Kelly sees the scar on his shoulder she feels if this was a movie the climatic music would play, she would faint or if it was TV they would cut to a commercial break as she gasped.
h 4 p
Pyra is riding the train up to 96th street on the 6 train. She was meeting Fahmida for lunch and had no intention of pushing her luck and ending up having to drive out of Manhattan during rush hour. She reached the hospital and Fahmida was standing outside waiting. Pyra looked at her watch only ten minutes late not bad. She watched as Fahmida pulled out her cell and Pyra was quick to answer hers when it rang.
“Loser, where the hell are you?”
“Um . . . if I say still home will you be upset?”
“Pyra!”
“Yes?” Pyra says behind Fahmida and hanging up.
“Loser,” She says smacking Pyra on the arm.
“Abusive!” Pyra says as the two girls start walking arm in arm to a nearby pizzeria. “If your patients only knew of you evil ways.”
“Shut up punk, so what you getting?”
“Just something to drink,” Pyra says not sure how much she can hold down. Fahmida of course ignores all this in traditional Fahmida fashion and orders more food then she can possible eat and forces some at Pyra who is in the pizzeria’s bathroom as Fahmida finishes her garlic knots. When Pyra returns she gets another smack on the arm.
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
”Tell you what? Dude explain yourself.”
“Come on Pyra. I’m a doctor I’ve seen it a million times, you’re pregnant.”
”Don’t be silly.”
“I know what I’m talking about, you’re having a kid.”
”Hey just cause I’m the only one without any kids . . .”
”Which is a mystery of science, I’ve seen you and Adam together. Its about time you two had kids.”
“Oh hush, I’m not having a kid,” Pyra says.
“Dude that was morning sickness! Do I have to take you in for a blood test?”
“Fahmida, take it down a notch. Don’t you think I would know?”
”No Dumbass!”
“I’m highly insulted. Besides I’m going to see someone after this.”
“And then I’m going to tell you I told you so,” Fahmida says.
“When do you get off so I can call and yell at your stupidness?”
“Uh huh,” Fahmida says knowing she’s right.
They spent the rest of Fahmida’s lunch hour strolling in Central park. With every few minutes Fahmida laughing at Pyra’s refusal to believe she’s pregnant. She’s ordered to call her when she learns the truth and goes back to the saving of lives. Pyra flames over to the Dark Roses clinic type thing and is sitting in the waiting room.
”Pyra?” The secretary says as she is halfway through today’s episode of Passions. The soap still hadn’t changed though she had heard some rumors about a drastic change coming soon. She got up and walked into the doctor’s office. It was actually pretty normal, though the doctor did have a PHD and was a certified witch doctor and voodoo priestess.
“So what are your symptoms?”
“Well I can’t keep any food down, I have dizzy spells.”
“Well give me a finger,” Pyra holds out her index finger expecting to be pricked and instead has an orange powder dropped on her finger. It starts to glow red. “That was simple, you really didn’t have to come here for this. Your local Rite Aid would have had provided you with the same answer.”
“Glowing red dust? I didn’t know Rite Aid had expanded.”
“Pyra, for someone with such exceptional talents you can be exceptionally dimwitted.”
”Thanks.” Pyra says annoyed.
“You’re pregnant, any one could have told you.”
”Geez, Damn it she was right.”
“What?”
”I had lunch with an old friend also a doctor and she said I was.”
“Exactly, your pregnancy will not be the easiest thing in the world.”
”What do you mean?”
”Your powers for one, you can’t bind your children’s powers in the womb. Though they may express themselves, as they develop. You will have no control over it . . .”
“Why can’t I bind their powers?”
“Once they are born you can do whatever you wish, in the womb it would be pointless and maybe a little dangerous. For every power you bind they may just express another and if they’re mortal your own power may kill them inadvertently.”
”Okay, when will the vomiting end?”
”A few more weeks or you can take this,” She says holding out a bubbling blue liquid. Pyra smells it and it reminds her if Dimetapp.
”Woo medicine ye haw,” Pyra mutters as she drinks it down and gets the urge to vomit again.
”Don’t worry it will stay down, now go! Tell everyone celebrate.”
“Thanks doc.”
”Oh and here is the address of where you can go for a sonogram and some prenatal care.”
”Alright bye,” Pyra says hopping off the examination table. The doctor nods as Pyra strolls into the street. A McDonald’s is nearby and she orders fries and a shake and hops a train to the property so she can eat. She walks in as she finishes her shake. Since the sun had just set her two favorite vampires were out and about.
“Darlings!” Pyra says putting her arms around both of them and giving each a kiss on their cold cheeks. Lestat laughs at Pyra’s giddiness.
”Hello, Pyra. Why so happy?”
”Tell you guys later, unless of course you want to come with me?” Lestat looks at Louis and nods. A few more minutes wouldn’t matter and he wanted to know anyway. They follow as Pyra walks to her house. Inside JC and Adam are sitting on the couch with Isis in JC’s lap and Lucky on the armrest next JC. Pyra straddles Adam and kisses him and he’s surprised. Usually he was the one with no shame and Pyra just went along for the ride which didn’t make a good combination since she pretty much always went along for the ride.
”We’re having a baby,” she whispers as she pulls away just in time to see his trademark grin.
“That’s amazing!” He says jumping up and spinning her a few times.
”What’s so amazing?” JC asks as Lucky perks up wanting to know too.”
”Well once the room stops moving. Okay dudes, Vampires and cats, wait that would make one dude . . .”
”Pyra!” JC exclaims.
“Okay sorry I’m pregnant. Josh I need oxygen!” Pyra says as her roommate cuts off her air supply.
”Sorry . . .”
“Its about time with all the sex you and Adam have.” Lucky says and Pyra rolls her eyes, picks up the cat and kisses him on the lips. “No! You just kissed Adam now I have stupid germs on me!”
“Lucky please.”
“Congratulations.” Louis says.
”Thanks Fabian,” Pyra says as he does give her a hug followed by Lestat.
”You’ll make a wonderful mother,” Lestat says starting to think about Gabriel. “But we must be off.”
“I’ll see you guys later,” Pyra replies as they walk out and close the door behind them.
”Isis wants to know if it’s a boy or girl,” Lucky says.
"I don't know yet."
"Oh, okay," Lucky says having no need to translate.
“Ah!” Pyra suddenly says grabbing for the phone. She dials barely looking at the phone. “Hello? Hey Orlando, yeah thanks, Nausi? Yeah, uh huh, hold on,” Pyra uses the three way feature. “Hey dudes guess what?”
“You’re pregnant!”
“How the hell . . .you talked to Fahmida.”
“Yes Pyra, don’t you think as a doctor she would know?”
“So you and Sam . . .”
“That poor child,” Nausi says.
”Oh thanks,” Pyra says.
“But really congratulations and all that stuff.”
“Hey! We can go shopping for baby stuff!” Mystic says.
“Dude turn that down, I don’t even know what I’m having.”
“Dude, don’t you have premonitions? Why not look and see,” Mystic says.
“Yeah cause I have such great control over that.”
“You think the kid will look like Edgy?”
“I hope not,” Nausi says.
“Are you trying to say my husband’s ugly?”
“If she’s trying I’ll say it he’s ugly,” Lucky says.
“Cat!”
“I didn’t say it,” Nausi says.
“Uh-huh,” Pyra replies starting to grin from ear to ear. Adam takes the phone away from Pyra.
“Pyra has to go now,” Adam says hanging up the phone.
“Why did you do that?”
“Hey! You already knocked her up stop that!” Lucky yells as JC returns from the cider cellar (there was no longer wine in the house) with a chilled bottle and is victim to Adam kissing Pyra here there and everywhere. Knowing he can do nothing about it he ignores them as he gets glasses and pops the cork.
“Cider for the future mommy?” JC says holing out two glasses.
“Sure, thanks Joshie,” Pyra says taking both glasses and handing one to Adam who puts it down on the coffee table as he goes all Gomez Addams on her arm. “Adam, that tickles.”
“Caramia.” Pyra starts laughing so hard she has to sit down and put down her glass down.
“What is wrong with you?” JC asks Pyra’s slightly deranged husband.
“I’m just happy,” Adam says kissing Pyra on the cheek and finally picking up his glass as he calms down for the moment.
h 5 p
Pyra and Adam pull up to the clinic, Pyra preferred not to go to mystical clinics, people always looked at her weird. Now that was something when a chick with three eyes blue skin and cartoon red hair was looking at you weird. Adam was getting even weirder looks and she realized he was the only human in the place.
"Sign in here," The receptionist says using one of her three heads and six arms. Pyra does as she's told. "Pyra? The Pyra?"
Whispers start up in the waiting room. "No I'm just her half cousin." Pyra says turning away. "Its no fun being foretold." Pyra says sitting down with Adam. He takes her hand and she leans her head on his arm and closes her eyes.
"Tired?"
"Bored."
“Well you could read a magazine.”
“That’s no fun,” Pyra says. The door opens and the doctor calls in the blue haired girl. “What are you thinking about?”
“Names.”
“What do you have so far?”
“Alex for a boy and Lani for a girl. You?”
“Tomas for a boy and I don’t know about a girl one.”
“Hey what about Tomas Alexander?” Pyra looks at Adam and repeats the name. She smiles.
“I like it hey we’re good at this.” Adam smiles and kisses her forehead.
“Won’t be so good if it’s a girl. What do you think about the name Lani?”
“It sounds okay I guess. Lani Copeland? Sure why not. Hey why is this always so hard for people?” Adam says.
“Don’t know.”
“Hey so you’ve been writing a story lately. Is it about us?”
“Freaky as it sounds no, its about a prince, two princes to be exact. They were like separated at birth and they are from Atlantis.”
“Merpeople?”
“Not exactly.”
“Where’d you get the idea for that?”
“Don’t want you back, the line about a shark attack stuck with me and then this crazyness happened up in my mind.”
“So why were they separated?”
“Some kind of council, wanted to remain in power and control the people and it was said the twin kings would bring them down. So they offed the second born in any royal set of twins. After mad years of this the queen wasn’t having it but then again she had already snuck off and had a whole deal with a human so she’s quite the rule breaker.”
“So she kept one kid and left the other with his dad? And no one ever found out?”
“Yep, now they are at war and guess who they need.”
“The other son.”
“Yeah,” Pyra says sitting up. She flames her laptop into her lap and opens the file. After about 10 minutes Adam turns to her. What happens next?” Pyra smiles and takes the Laptop and flaming sheets of paper into Adam’s hand. As he had read stories in progress before he knew that the words would appear on the sheet as she typed. He decided to read instead of skim the whole story. In hopes to give Pyra some time to type.
He was greeted a few moments later by her furious clicks and could see words appearing on the last page but he went to the first and pulled out a pen for typo’s here and there.
Kelly was still staring at the water what was she supposed to do? Who could she tell that Kevin had been kidnapped into the sea by his mother Queen of Atlantis. She had no use for a padded cell or Betty Ford. What could she do? She was still staring at the water when the forms stepped out. An old man looked at her and threw a blue shimmering powder on her and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.
“Into the water child or you die.” Kelly stared wide eyed still gasping. She was sure this was what Kevin felt like when he had one of his attacks. Two men lifted her into the water and suddenly she could breathe again. This wasn’t possible. She was lifted out of the water and immediately started gasping again but she still heard the man.
“You are dear to the second born, I can read it in your heart. You will come with us. Do not be fool enough to try to escape for you will die if you do not receive the counter spell in any attempt to exist on land and you will need to receive doses of this,” he says pointing to a satchel at his waist where he got the blue dust. “Every hour or you will not be able to breathe anywhere.”
Kelly followed silently, her tears mixing with the salt water unnoticed by all.
Kevin woke and everything hurt. His vision was cloudy and murky. He blinked, he was in water? He started trashing in his panic holding his breath. He couldn’t swim why on earth was he in a tank. . . he was turning blue when it all came back to him and he allowed the water into his mouth and no one was more surprises then he was when he could breathe. A few seconds later the queen and the Prince and Queen and he glowered at them both darkly.
The queen said something he couldn’t hear with all the water in his ears. His brother “twin” brother made a face and shook his head and the queen decked him. Kevin knew they were talking about him, he shirked to a corner when his brother jumped into the tank and puts up the fight for his life when he tried to him; but his brother was much stronger. He threw him out of the tank and onto a stack of pillows and he instantly started choking on air and gasping like a fish. Right when he was sure he was going to die he started breathing air again.
“Ass!”
“Are you sure about this? He is so weak and can barely make the transition.”
“It takes time. My sons we must talk.”
“Where the F am I? How can you just up and kidnap me?”
“It was for your safety.”
“Safety my ass! I could have died!”
“The water won’t take your life, you must be calm my son.”
“So I just imagined almost drowning, it must of been a dream that I’m the only one of my friends who can’t swim.”
“You can’t swim?” His brother exclaims flabbergasted.
“You were the one dragging me kicking and screaming into the ocean didn’t you notice?”
“Silence,” the Queen exclaims and Kevin turns to her.
“Bite me! You dumped me so you could go play little mermaid. What do you want now? It’s a little late for a heart to heart now, don’t you think Mother?”
The Queen sighs as Adriel remains silent due to his mother’s order. “Why don’t you two talk? I shall return shortly.” She didn’t let her first tear fall until she was safely out in the hall.
Adriel walks over to where Kevin was sprawled and sat in front of him and Kevin turned his head to the side but couldn’t help looking at his brother from the corner of his eye. He noticed he was wearing a crown, something slivery and light. He also noticed he looked extremely nervous like he was about to do something he knew was wrong. Kevin turned to him fully and watched as he glanced at the door and back again a few times before finally speaking.
“What . . . what is he like?”
“He?”
“Our father.” Adriel clarifies and Kevin is for the moment stopped. How hadn’t it occurred to him that this guy had been ripped away from a parent also. “What does he look like?”
“Me . . . well uh us, well he’s what 5’ 10” like 180, jet black hair, cut short like mine, blue eyes. Oh God! He can’t take anyone vanishing on him! He’ll like die.”
“Is he sick?”
“No. Not really die, he just never even told me her name or even why she left then again I stopped asking a long time ago.” The Prince nods.
“What do you want to know?”
“Why’d she do it? I used to think that maybe she was one of those chicks that didn’t want kids but . . .”
“You would have died. The former royal council had received a prophecy 500 years ago foretelling their end at the hands of the twin kings. They lied to all royal couples since claming that the twin kings would tear the kingdom apart destroying it and its people in their unchecked greed.”
“Woah.”
“It gets worse, for 500 years parents wiling gave up their second born son if a twin to be killed. For whatever reason Mother did not accept and took you top side. But our family has a history of disobedience.”
“What changed?”
“It was exposed at their own boastfulness of being successful the last 500 years and not even having to execute a child in 75 years.”
“Great so I’m a prince?” Adriel nods.
”So you have a girlfriend?” Kevin says not really into probing too deeply on the idea that he is royalty.
“I don’t have very many friends why girls in particular?”
“Oh no, I mean you know a significant other?”
“Wouldn’t that be you?” Kevin sits back clearly there was a language thing which reminded him.
“How do you know English?”
“What is En-glish?”
”The language we’re speaking.
“Our language is universal your tongue is as simple to decipher as ours is to you. So simple in fact that few are aware of the change.”
“Whatever,” Kevin says figuring if these people could breathe water their speaking English shouldn’t be a real shock. “Ok people here get married right?”
”Married?”
“You know man woman live together have kids?”
”Oh a joining?”
”Yeah okay a joining,” It takes Kevin a minute to remember what his point was with all this. “Oh! So do you know anyone you want to join with?”
Adriel pales and blushes in turns. “I am too young for such a thing.”
”But is there someone,” Adriel blushes again. “So there is.”
“Was that your mate?”
“Mate? Oh my God Kelly! She must be freaking up there.”
“Freaking?”
“Universal my ass! This so isn’t cool.”
“Are you too warm? I can provide you with some clothes.”
“That little naked getup you have? No thanks what is that stuff?” Adriel shrugs.
”Natural material of some sort, I’ve heard some things about cultivated jellyfish but I no not the meaning.” Kevin looks at it again and even though it was quite transparent in many places it hid what it needed to. Their mother returns then servants following close behind with said naked clothes. The servants are all delighted when they see Kevin drawing him to his feet and pointing intrigued at his boxers though they don’t really say anything just lots of giggling. One girl boldly reaches for the band and he jumps back.
”Hey!” Adriel laughs and finally waves the girls away. They go giggling out of the room leaving the Kevin with Adriel and the Queen.
“Son you must be prepared to be presented to the public.”
“Woo Who, I’m dancing for joy.”
“You are not dancing,” Adriel points out.
“You are now a prince and must appear the part.”
“Yeah yeah sure, hey what’s your name?”
“Adriel.”
“Sound quite close to Ariel any relation?”
“To my great grandmother of course.” Kevin blinks.
”And yours?”
”Its Kevin, my son, remove your garments.”
”Uh no.”
“As Queen of Atlantis I order you to remove your garments."
”Read my lips, no.”
“Kevin you cannot disobey our mother such.”
“Watch me.”
”Mother, why not retrieve the crown?”
“Very well I shall return shortly and we shall discuss your impertinence,” Kevin rolls his eyes and settles on his pillows again.
”How can you be so cold to her? She saved your life.”
“So would it have killed her to visit my father?”
”It would have killed you.”
“She could have told him at least! Let him move on with his life. Get a girlfriend.”
“Why do you have such an affinity for friendship with females?”
“Another wife, joining partner whatever.”
“I see, but you must dress.”
”I’m not putting that on!”
”It is not so bad and it dries the moment out of water,” Adriel says glancing at Kevin’s damp shorts and the wet spot on the pillows he’s no longer sitting on.
“That thing can’t possibly cover you up.”
“Do you see anything that you should not?” Kevin shakes his head. “Have you seen a part of our mother a child should not see?”
“No more than I’d see on Christina.”
“Will you wear the clothes?”
”Oh fine,” Adriel helps Kevin into the clothes and despite the flimsily look they are quite comfortable and warm. They remand him of a hula skirt with a sash that went across his back and chest. His brother wasn’t wearing the sash and he pointed this out. He merely points to the other clothes on the bed. Once satisfied with how Kevin looks he dresses quickly. With nothing else to say they sit on the pillows and Adriel describes the people and what to expect once presented. Adriel glances at the door.
“It should not take nearly half this long to retrieve your crown.” On cue the queen burst into the room rushing directly to Kevin no crown to be found.
“Son the former council has taken a prisoner.”
”Um maybe you want to talk to him . . .”
”Not when the prisoner is your Kelly,” Kevin pales.
“Pyra?” Adam and Pyra both look up breaking away from the story. She shuts the laptop handing it to Adam as they walks into the office.
The room is typical of an examination room with the adjustable chair, calendar, and bright pictures. Everything looks perfectly normal until you take a closer look at the 3-D models of the body and see a few extra hearts and such. Adam who is standing besides Pyra gives her a kiss on the top of the head as they wait for the doctor. A few minutes later a very traditional looking doctor enters and Pyra blinks.
“Were you expecting me to have two heads?” Pyra shrugs.
“Up,” He says pointing to the chair as the nurse brings in a sonogram device. “Any aversions to electricity?”
”Nope.”
“This may be cold,” He says as he rolls up Pyra’s shirt and since she was wearing super low rise jeans that was all that was needed as she giggled as the cold lotion touched her.
“So let’s see what we have here.”
Pyra and Adam turn to get their first look at their child.
"You can see the heartbeats . . ."
"We did that" Adam whispers.
"Yeah, wait did you say beats?"
"Yeah, there's one," He says pointing, "two and three."
"Three?"
"Triplets?" Adam gasps.
"Triplets, you can see . . ." The doctor stops giving Pyra and Adam a moment to inhale.
"Are they boys or girls?" Adam asks.
"Its far too soon to tell in the traditional fasion but . . ." The doctor starts muttering to the screen and the sonogram starts to glow.
"Blue is male . . ."
"And brown is for girls?"
"No what on earth?"
"Why is that blue more green?" The doctor stares at the screen and takes a look at Pyra's chart.
"Are you based on an elelment?"
"Was the name Pyra your first clue? Fire made flesh . . ."
"And your husband."
"I'm . . ."
"He's part meta almost nothing," Pyra says as Adam looks at her confused, wasn't he the 'normal' one?
“Apparently you will be giving birth to earth, air, and water. I cannot tell you their genders.”
“Its cool we can wait a while and find out like normal folk.”
“I’m worried about the complications there might be with a fire spirit having a water spirit, most people remain in their element.”
“I’m not most people not even close.”
“Few of my patients are. Well physically everything is as it should be, their development is on point and magically they look as they will be quite powerful as they are already magically aware.”
Pyra and Adam thank the doctor and make another appointment for a few weeks later as they walk out on Spring st.
“Wanna go down to St. Marks?”
“You like it here way too much.”
“The Village rules man.”
Adam is happily relieved when he gets her to go to a McDonalds instead. They then head home to share the extended news.
“So? What’s the big deal? Some cat’s have like six kittens,” Lucky says.
“Yeah well its not normal for people,” Pyra says.
“Whatever,” Lucky replies placing a pointed ear on her still flat belly.
“I don’t hear anything . . . wait I hear a heart beat.”
“You do?”
“Yeah . . . oh its yours,” Lucky says pulling away as Pyra strokes his back. She lifts him suddenly and kisses him. “Oh stop it! You don’t kiss me this much when I’m a boy.” Pyra lays the annoyed cat down and starts petting him which is exactly what he wanted.
“So what are you going to do about work?” Adam asks.
”I don’t know, quit maybe its not like I need the cash.”
“Aren’t you still on contract and little things like your story line right now?”
“Well its not like I’m gonna do it right this second. I know I’ll have to give warning and all that stuff.”
“So you guys think you can handle three kids?” JC asks from the kitchen where he was making dinner.
“Three of them three of us we’re only slightly outnumbered.”
“Three?” Adam asks.
“Well the guy in the kitchen isn’t a ghost and as a godfather . . .”
“You want me to?” JC asks glancing at Adam who gives him a smile.
“No I’m lying to you.”
“Yeah,” JC replies not positive Pyra would want him around her kids after what had happened a few years ago.
“Holy . . .” Adam starts as this talk of godparents reminds him. He stands grabbing the phone and a few second later Pyra hears. “Hi mom.” Pyra gets the same ‘oh crap’ look on her face and reaches in her pocket for her cell waking Lucky who goes outside through the cat door.
“Hello? Yeah Trish I’m good Dad around? Cool cool, yeah just put me on speaker.”
“Ok you’re on.”
“Dad?”
“I’m here, what’s going on?”
“Well I have some big news for you guys.” Pyra says.
“What is it?”
“While I’m still young Pyra.”
“Too late for that grandpa.” Pyra says but Glenn doesn’t get the hint since Pyra makes age jokes all the time. “Well me and Barbie finally did it we’re going to have kids.”
“What?! Oh my gosh that’s great,” Trish says smiling.
“But you’re gonna be called grandma now.”
”Stop playing around.”
“Good for you,” Glenn says.
“Thanks guys and Oh its not just one kid . . .”
“Twins?” Trish squeals, “That’s wonderful.”
“Two little Pyra’s? We would have never survived.”
“Thanks dad and no I’m having triplets.” A hush falls on the other end. “Hello?”
“Tri . . . Tri . . . triplets?” Trish stammers.
“Yeah I had that moment too, just means more to shop for.”
“Ooo I have to throw you a baby shower!” Pyra rolls her eyes almost wishing her and Trish hadn’t started getting along. She looks over at Adam and its clear to see his mom is talking his ear off by the way he ‘s walking back and forth in long strides with his long legs. Man her kids would be tall she thought as she remembered Trish “ . . .Maternity clothes.”
“What?” Pyra asks noticing she was off speaker phone.
“We’ll have to get you some maternity clothes and proper motherly wear not those get ups you are so fond of.” Pyra smiled some things would never change.
“Trish if you haven’t noticed in all these years I’m a stick figure, I’ll be fine for quite a while all my clothes are too big anyway.”
”Ooo! This is so exciting!”
“Who’s having the kid me or you?”
“Me and stretch marks? Never.”
”Yeah Ok I’ll talk to you guys later. Bye” Pyra says hanging up as Adam does the same with his mom.
"Crazy folk them parents," Pyra says and Adam smiles.
“So the both of you forgot to tell your parents?” JC asks.
“Yeah now to freak out the others,” Pyra starts dialing on her cell as she heads for the door.
”Where…”
”Nausi’s, then Mystic’s and to see the dudes. Wanna come?”
“Sure I can talk to Shane.” Pyra nods as the walk out and the person she was calling answered.
“Hello?”
”Chester, I got ya!”
”Yeah….Draven put that down!”
“What’s he doing?”
”A guitar he’s waving it around like a bat. So I hear Adam finally knocked you up. I was starting to wonder about him.”
”Funny.”
"What?" Adam asks.
"He said he wondered about you."
"Wondered?"
"If you were in proper working order."
"Huh?" Adam asks again and Chester starts laughing in Pyra's ear. Pyra shakes her head and points.
"Your...do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Oh...oh! Hey!" Adam says finally realizing he's being insulted.
“Yeah, I hope they take after you in the brains department.”
“Don’t be mean.” Pyra replies.
”Hey yeah that’s right you’re not that great at the higher ups yourself. So how’s everyday life Physics treating ya?”
“Ooo shut up you.”
“Okay I’m at Nausi’s door I’ll talk to ya later, tell Sam I said hi.”
“Later Py.”
Pyra knocks on the door and Nausi opens it cradling Círdan who has a light powdering of flour on his face.
”What happened to him?”
”He and Madison are helping Landie bake some lembas.”
“Oh, where’s Shane?” Adam asks as he and Pyra are let in.
“Upstairs,” Nausi says and Adam heads for the stairs as Pyra follows Nausi into the kitchen where Madison has on a little apron and is rolling her own lembas mimicking Orlando’s movements. Pyra looked around and saw an even smaller loaf and some flour and guessed that was Círdan’s lembas. Nausi releases Círdan and he goes back to his own bread but seems happy just tossing flour about and occasionally poking the small lump of dough when he glanced at his father and sister.
“So what’s going on?”
“Lembas baking it seems.”
“Ha ha you doof.”
“What its true. But if you mean why I came over I had some more news.”
“It’s not Adam’s baby.”
“Ah ha ha but no its not.”
“Sure, Py Py.”
“I’m not kidding.”
”Then who’s the father?”
“Adam.” Nausi looks at Pyra annoyed. “Its not his baby its his babies.”
“You’re having twins? Congratulations,” Orlando says smiling.
“Not exactly.”
“What then triplets?”
”Man you’re good, ever think of becoming a psychic friend?”
Nausi just spent a few moments staring at Pyra. Her eyes settled on her stomach and she just couldn’t imagine the stick figure carrying not one but three kids. “Oooo and I wanted to ask you guys, to be god parents.”
“Don’t you have to be catholic for that?”
“Eh, I think you folks would be a good influence and its more a morality thing then truly religious plus Leggy is one baptism away from making it official.”
“Mmm Hmm.”
“Is that a yes?”
”Yes,” Nausi says and Orlando nods, as he puts on a pot warmer and pulls a few finished pans of lembas out of the oven and puts them on a shelf to cool away from Madison & Círdan’s reach. Adam and Shane come down then and Shane gives Pyra a hug.
“I asked Shane,” Adam informs.
“And I asked these folk.”
“Cool. Know any more girls? We’re one short.”
”I have an idea,” Adam says smiling, “Your mom.”
“Trish? What’s the point in that?”
“No Tori.”
”Hey that does sound cool,” Pyra says giving Adam a kiss on the cheek.
“Are you going to Mystic’s?”
“Yeah we still need to ask her.”
”Okay take those two pans. One for her and one for you.”
“Thanks Orlando,” Pyra says grinning grabbing the two hot pans. Adam reaches to help and Pyra backs away. “If you wanna burn your hand go ahead.”
“Bye guys,” Adam says holding the kitchen door open for Pyra.
”Later dudes,” Pyra adds as Shane shuts the door.
Pyra follows Adam with the two pans to Mystic's place. He knocks on the door and its opened by Elijah.
"Hey, Lijah," Adam says.
"Adam, hi, come in. Mystic! Adam's here."
"Why?" She calls back. "Nah I'm just playing, come on in."
When Adam steps aside to let Pyra in Elijah blinks. "Oh! I didn't see you back there."
"Yeah I guessed that. Girl with fresh lembas coming through."
"Went to visit Orli I see," Dom says holding open the door to the kitchen.
"Yep, and Madison and Cirdian were backing, they were so cute."
"Is that for me?" Mystic asks eyeing the lembas.
"One is. But its hot."
"I know that you freak, its still steaming." Mystic grabs a pot holder and takes one of the pans. "So what are ya people doing here?"
"First of all your a god mother."
"No I refuse! Heh heh okay."
CRASH
"MOTHER!"
"Mommy!"
"Daddy!"
"Momma!"
Mystic and Dom exchange a look. It had been quiet for way too long. But Elijah was with them. Dom runs into the other room when the crying and screaming starts.
"Geez."
"Well if that's all, tell frenchie thanks but I wanna go see what's going on there."
"Yeah, I guess, just that I was having triplets."
"What?!" Mystic exclaims smacking Adam. "What? What? She exclaimes again but is soon reduced to gasping noises and Adam smacking.
"I'm gonna move my husband away from you before you do some damage."
Pyra leads Adam back through the living room where se sees the shattered shards of something that had caused the crash. What looked like a saddle on Manaic and some very guilt looking kids. She shakes her head realizing soon enough this could be her and Adam.
They walk to the other side of the property and where Mike and Colin make their "single" home.
Knock Knock
"Hey Pyra," Mike says opening the door, "Oh hey man," he replied noticing Adam for the first time. Adam waved.
"You know you could let me in."
"Mike who the fuck is it? You ashamed of me or something?"
"Now why would I be ashamed of yoy Colin, you're so polite."
"Fuck yeah. I didn't say bring the bitch in."
"Who you calling a bitch you foul mouth fuck."
"Adam hey man! Want a beer?"
"No that's alright."
"Hey lil Colin." Colin says putting a hand on Pyra's stomach.
"Ha ha you're funny."
"How does it feel to being knocked up? Fuck knows you guys tried long enough."
"Well I guess we're making up for lost time."
"What do you mean?" Mike asks.
"Hey Adam you do the honors."
"We uh...are kinda having..." Adam runs his fingers through his hair before finally finishing the sentence much to Mike and Colin's annoyance. "Yeah we're having triplets."
"Holy fuck!"
“Geez!” Mike exclaimed not having picked up Colin’s penchant for cursing. “What, are you trying to out do Mystic?”
“No I don’t need my own little army,” Pyra replied.
Colin stared at Pyra as a thought formed in his head. “How the fuck are you gonna carry three kids?”
“What do you mean?”
”Well Py, you are on the small side.”
”Small, you’d think she doesn’t eat. All bones.” Pyra rolls her eyes guys were so weird. She looked at Adam for some help and he seemed to be pondering the same thing. Great just what she needed a doting husband she didn’t need that much attention showered on her. It would get annoying fast.
”Hello people I’m not fragile I’m not gonna break.”
”But you have to be fucking careful this is serious Pyra.”
Pyra nearly kicked herself, of course Colin would be worried about complications. She felt touched that he would care about her. “I will be,” she said calmly maybe she should have reconsidered her choices but no. There was something off about Colin, though she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“You came all this way to tell us that?” Mike asks grinning.
”Fine you caught me, I just had to see you sexy beasts.”
”No sorry the sexy beast has moved out, lives with his wife and son at the moment,” Mike replies.
”What the fuck…” Colin mutters looking between Pyra and Mike. “You poor fuck,” he starts turning to Adam, “I would check those kiddies eyes if I were you.”
“Ha ha.”
”But really, congrats and all that shit, I’d offer you a smoke.”
”But then I’d smoke you,” Pyra says with an evil grin.
A few minutes later, Pyra and the guys exchanged hugs as they shook with Adam. Colin looked after the pair and laughed. “I feel sorry for him,” Colin said turning back to Mike.
“Why? Three screaming babies at once?”
”Fuck that, Pyra is one girl I don’t want to see in labor.”
”They’ll probably bind her powers or you know send Adam to the moon,” Mike says chuckling as well. “Pray for Adam its quick. Can you believe it? Three kids.”
“Yeah I know, hey it’ll give Madison and Jamie more mates.”
Pyra was about to head to her house when she had though. She turned to the vampire’s house and frowned.
”Adam go home.”
“What? Why where are you going?”
”To see an old bitch.”
”Pyra is that such a good idea in your condition?”
“Oh don’t start. I’m not even a little swollen, I won’t regret not doing this later when I’m waddling and all out of whack.”
Pyra knocked at the door to the vampire’s house ignoring the fact that Adam was still directly behind her. She knocked on the door hoping all the vampire’s were home. Quinn answered and looked somewhat surprised to see the couple.
“Is she here?”
”What did she do?”
”Nothing yet and I plan to keep it that way, is she?”
”Yes, Endora,” Quinn called lightly though she was upstairs. “Could you join us in the living room?”
”I’ll be there in a moment.”
David and Louis were both already in the living room and they both looked up at Pyra and Adam confusion written on both their faces. Pyra smiled at them both.
”I’ll explain in a minute.”
“What is it….what are you…”
”Sit down shut up and listen,” Pyra said barely glancing at Endora. Adam put his hands on Pyra’s shoulder’s in an attempt to calm her and she lightly tapped his hand, trying to prove to him that she was still calm as Endora angrily took a seat and Lestat stood directly behind the chair his attention focused on Pyra.
“Now I could give less than a flaming fuck about if you live or die and I know the same is true on your side.”
”What is your point?”
”What part of shut up don’t you understand?” Pyra retorts. “Now I’m pregnant…”
“Am I supposed to congratulate you on the new addition to your family?” Pyra rubbed her temples annoyed and tossed a silence spell at Endora her voice trying Pyra’s minute patience. She waved her arms and pointed to her throat frantically.
”What did you do?” David asked worried.
”Just a silence spell, why are you so worried even if I suffocated her she doesn’t need air. As I was saying, I’m pregnant, and we know how you feel about that. If I so much as feel a premature tickle I will take intense pleasure in finding out how many pieces I can cut you into before you do die. Just in case your small mind doesn’t understand, in the next nine months if you so much as blink at me funny I will slaughter you no questions asked. Hell I’ll be doing the world a favor.” Pyra flicks her fingers and a small explosion is heard. “That was your shrine, now bitch are we clear?” Endora nodded slowly and Pyra removed the spell. She turned to leaved and Quinn, the only one who seemed to have not fallen into shock followed her to the door.
”Pyra wait,” she turned to the vampire.
“Do you think that was wise?”
”Well you know when I start sticking out to here it would be a little hard to hide.”
“But she…you may have incited her.”
“Lucky is like my son. These are my children, I so much as feel a foreign cramp and poof.”
Quinn nods, “I’ll do you one better, she’ll be going on a little vacation.”
“Whatever, I don’t even want her thinking about me and my kids.”
“Alright, but is there a reason you keep speaking in the plural?”
”Oh that’s right I didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me?” Quinn asks guessing twins maybe.
“I’m having triplets.” Quinn’s eyes widened then he grinned and Pyra noticed his fangs and wondered how she had missed them for six years.
“Amazing, leave her to me I’ll speak to you tomorrow and tell you how it went.”
“Okay later Quinn.”
He walked back inside and saw everyone as he had left them. He turned his attention to Endora.
“Well?”
”Well what?” Endora asks annoyed.
”Why aren’t you packing?”
“You’re throwing me out? I haven’t done anything.”
“No, Merrick, Lestat is right,” David starts, “she will kill you for nothing this is for your own safety. I will come with you, it will be a holiday.”
”I will not be chased out of my home.”
“Then you will die,” David says, “if she should just happen by no fault of yours experience a complication she will destroy you. She is a mad woman you know this already.”
”I think it is more simple than that, you know a tie between a mother and her young can be quite strong and quite savage, now add Pyra’s personality and well…”
“Louis I could not have said it better myself.”
“So you all think I should.” She gets three nods and she stomps up to her room. David joins her at the door a few seconds later.
“Where do you want to go?”
”Well I’ve never been to Greece.”
”Sounds lovely, do you want to leave tonight?”
”Very well, you know David I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you in the first place.”
”And which first place would that be?”
”When you said we should never move in here.” David just shakes his head and goes to his own room to pack.
”So how did it go?” JC asks as Pyra sets the table.
”Lucky you eating?”
”Yeah!” His voice calls back from an undisclosed location.
“It was horrible everyone shunned us like we had the plague or something.”
”Funny.”
“Everyone was happy for us, except maybe Endora,” Adam says shaking his head.
”Why did you tell her?” Josh asks concerned.
“I didn’t so much as tell her as warn her…”
“Pyra pretty much said hi I’m pregnant if you blink funny I’ll kill you.”
“Yep that sounds like you,” JC replies as he brings the pots to the table.
“Whatever,” Pyra replies watching Lucky as he walked into the room Isis on his tail as he grabbed a can of cat food and opened it for his daughter before going to the fridge for some milk.
“I already got it.”
“Thanks Joshua,” Lucky replies gracefully plopping into a seat. “Hey are you gonna get all round and stuff like Mystic and Nausikaa did?”
“Well yeah, that’s what happens when you get pregnant.”
”Oh, I thought since you were so little you wouldn’t get that big.”
”What is this Pyra is anorexic kick everyone is on? But, yeah Lucky in a few months I’ll be waddling around.”
”Like a penguin?”
”It’s a joke Lucky, but if I do yeah I guess it would be like that.”
“Hey wait since your having three kids are you gonna be bigger?”
”I don’t know we’ll just have to wait and see about that one.”
“I can’t picture you like that.”
”Well neither can I fluff ball but its gonna happen.”
“Okay well let’s eat I’m hungry,” a meow from where Isis was eating made Lucky roll his eyes, “Whatever Isis.” JC just laughs.
”What she say?” Adam asks.
“That Pyra won’t be the only one getting round if Lucky keeps eating like that.”
“Man, Lucky your daughter is too funny.”
“Oh shut up loser,” Lucky says sticking his tongue out at Adam.
“Don’t make me come over there,” Adam warns.
“Why so Lucky can kick your ass again?” JC asks grinning as Adam throws an apple at JC who catches it and launches it back with ease.
”You may want to try a different tactic with a were cat.”
“Whatever,” Adam says piling a plate high.
“Hungry much Barbie?”
”This is for you.”
“Are you on crack? I can’t eat all that.”
”But you have to remember you’re eating for four now.”
Pyra just stared at her crazy boyfriend before filling her own plate with much less food. “You scare me sometimes.”