Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 11

Heidi hid under her blanket, staying quiet for a few moments. "Simon...I wish you w-would come home..."

"Another one?" Eric sighed.

---

Simon's eyes widen. "I-I do... but with Erika like that I don't want Elena to... a-and Benji..." Tears started to form in the boy's own eyes. "I-I r-really wanna come home... I-I really do. B-but I can't w-when someone needs me..."

"The worst one." Joey explained. "He went to see Erika."

Eric frowned. "And your not there?" The teen scoffed before running to the house and through the open door.

"I was just heading back." Joey said, knowing Nathan wouldn't try anything to hurt her.

But Eric had already ran off, and was now at the house. The teen cautiously walked in, heading towards Erika's room, becoming still when he saw Nathan, looking over Erika with an emotion he'd only seen a few times before.

What's his story...? Eric thought.

Heidi fell quiet. What happened when she needed Simon? She needed some form od stability, and everyone else seemed to be crazy, have their own shit to deal with, or both.

"I-I'm sorry... it's stupid of me to cry..." Simon mumbled, trying to rub the tears from his eyes.

Heidi hugged Simon, patting his back comfortingly. She needed to be the stro g one. She still wished for the simpler times of the tournament.

Joey followed Eric in.

Ok, put me in control, cause if something happens, I'm the only one who can stop it, without causing damage.

Nathan sensed a new presence and frowned slightly as he glanced down at the pregnant woman. "Who are you." He whispered hoarsely.

"Heidi," Neo said from the door, knocking on it. "Everything alright in there...?" That's the fourth time she's thrown up today..

"Listen...I'm really sorry about earlier...I just had a lot of stress."
(~)

Jayden noticed the vines...and let it start raining as he went into the forest.

Heidi flinched when she heard Neo, hugging Simon a bit tighter. "You g-gonna stop being such a dick...?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with one hand.

---

Kira exhaled in relief when it started raining, curling up and letting the good feeling wash over her. After a few minutes, she sat up without too much struggle, looking less sickly and more like she'd just woken up.

"...I'm a mess..." she murmured aloud, unbraiding her long hair and combing through it, quickly rebraiding it once she was done and standing up. "Thanks, Luke."

Luke smiled.

"It's grand," the Dubliner replied. "Of course I'll take care of you if you're sick."

Kira's face turned a little pink, before quickly kissing Luke. It was definitely nicer to have someone with you, than just laying around and hoping you don't die.

"I've decided I'm going to put my pride behind me and ask Nathan to see if he could heal me," Luke told her, having come to the conclusion the previous night.

Kira's eyes lit up and she hugged Luke tightly. "That's great!" she exclaimed. Since Luke was always self-conscious about his burns and scars, maybe if Nathan healed him then he'd become more confident.

"Yeah, getting my Flow back has made me remember how much more free I was at full health," Luke replied. He supposed he had Nathan to thank for that. But then again, if Nathan hadn't left him like that Luke wouldn't need it, so he didn't feel he owed Nathan anything.

"I'm proud of you," Kira smiled happily, glancing at the closed up window and listening to the rain. "Do you want me to come along, or should I stay here?"

"You can probably stay here. I'm going to have to fly instead of walk, so I'll have to wait for the rain to stop," Luke replied.

"Alright, then," Kira smiled, before glancing down at Luke's leg. "You don't mind if I check your leg, do you? You walked a lot, so..."

"Eh, no, go ahead," Luke replied, always shy when it came to his leg.

"I'm the guy who shot the person who made her into a vegetable after already bringing her in for the slaughter." Eric replied bitterly, expecting a good punch. "I didn't know that... that is was Cestie... if I did I... I..." The teen was holding onto the doorway tightly.

"We've tried everything to fix her. But with the baby... it's like the problem is coming from the inside, in her mind."

---

Simon continued to hug Heidi, but was confused about Neo apologizing.

Kira smiled slightly, rolling up Luke's pants leg carefully. It didn't make sense to her why he was all bundled up in summer, but it was his choice.

The leg was still rather nastily deformed, and was paler than the rest of Luke's body, being constantly under wraps.