To catch a dream

It had been strange coming back to the bunker after a year of living in Aston. Studying at the university and learning about Earth. Of feeling somewhat like he had a normal life, and not that he was destined to live amongst dark creatures because of what had happened to him. That even monsters had the choice of who they wanted to be. So, he had used his powers to do good things: healed people, improved their morality, and ignited hope when there seemed to be none. It wasn’t going to take away what he’d done, but it was helping him move on from it. And that he needed more than anything.

He’d visited the bunker rather often, in hopes of catching his father whenever he came home. Wanting to tell him about everything he’d experienced; his new friendships, what he’d learned in his classes, and of events he’d participated in. But he’d most often just wandered the underground halls alone, looking over the changes to the library and living area for any indication of what he was working on or where he might have gone. That summer he’d been quick to notice a strange stack of letters. As if the angels that usually messaged him in Heaven or through prayer somehow hadn’t been able to reach him. The angels had already contacted him about his absence at that point. And he didn’t know a whole lot about the circumstances. He was used to his father getting into trouble. It wasn’t something that he liked to dwell on because he had confidence in him overcoming it and eventually returning home. Yet it was unlike the angels to be this concerned about his whereabouts, so he knew that this time had to be particularly bad.

When someone knocked on the door, he assumed it was an angel who had come to talk to him. Because it was primarily angels and close family who knew about the bunker’s location. It was both warded and hidden well on a mountainside, up a narrow offroad path, shadowed by trees and various plants. Not meant to be found by just anyone. He placed the book he was reading on the side table before he got out of bed, wearing formal black slacks and a white t-shirt. He pulled on some matching black loafers before he went to unlock the door and opened it. And for a moment he just stared at the woman on the other side of it, angling his head slightly as he didn’t recognize her at first. Not apart from her familiar aura, and the mix of emotions that emerged at the possibility of being in her presence again. It wasn’t something he’d ever thought would happen. “Sariel?” he asked in disbelief as his blue eyes studied her face, of how much she’d changed since the night he’d left her. “What are you doing here?” A year had passed since then, so part of him didn’t think she was here to catch up or seek him out because of what had happened in the past. Rather it seemed likely that something else was going on for her to show up like this.

He didn’t move from his position in the doorway, not particularly keen on inviting her in due to her past agenda against him and his father. Besides, he couldn’t count the number of times he’d been told to not believe everything he heard and to stay on his guard because of the evil that existed on Earth and the many risks that came with being in his family. But when her voice quaked, and she barely could look him in the eyes, it became that much more impossible for him to see the wicked hybrid he was made to believe that she was. She was nervous. Had probably contemplated if it was even worth coming here to see him, afraid of what he might say or think. He saw that before she’d even started to explain why she was here.

He nodded slowly when she apologized before his eyes drifted to look behind her, making sure that no one had followed her. But when she asked why he’d left, he looked back into her eyes. Not sure why he was surprised that she didn’t know, if not for the fact that he’d never left her if it hadn’t been for the foreign interference. But of course, it only made sense that she thought he’d left. And he supposed it didn’t matter if he had wanted to stay because he hadn’t made any attempts to go back to see her. Things had turned much more complicated after that. “I had no choice.” He inhaled slowly, knowing how she’d been stuck in positions where her choice was taken away from her as well. “I was taken and told that I was to never see you again.” He exhaled, shakingly. He’d been through so many conflicting emotions because of that incident. Hating every bit of it. The truth of who she was. And the lack of freedom that had followed from his repeated mistakes of trusting strangers. All because he needed to escape for a while. “And yeah, I was upset with you. Hurt more than anything. Because I thought I’d finally found someone who could relate to me, who I could belong to on a level I’d never imagined was possible after my fall. It never even occurred to me that you wished to do me harm, I wanted to believe it so bad.” He felt a pit in his stomach being reminded of the betrayal he’d felt. Not helping but to relive the emotions, looking directly at the woman who’d caused them in the first place. “And now you’re telling me you changed your mind?” For all these months he’d been convinced that she was evil. It was a lot to take in, for her to come here and try to change those views.