that

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"So . . . what does this mean?" Xavier asks.

"Hell if I know," I answer. I honestly have no clue where to go from here.

"How come we never saw you if you were there to help us all those times?" Oh Ash, always the thinker.

"I presume it's just like a one sided mirror--I can see you, but you can't see me."

"Oh," is his response. Yup, a real thinker indeed.

"You said you have visions?" Coco questions.

"Yes . . ." I apprehensively answer.

"Does that mean you have other powers, too?" He sounds way too excited right now.

"Well, yes. I have the visions, which you're already aware of. But I can also heal quickly, and I have this weird telekinesis thing. I don't really know how to describe it, though."

"Can you show us, then?" Now he sounds even more giddy than before.

I reply shortly, "Sure." Raising my hands, I direct them towards Cole, and a bright golden light emits from my palms. I lift Cole into the air, and he screams and flails his limbs.

"Okay, okay! I get it! Put me down!" he exclaims. I can't help the laugh that barrels out of me while I gently set him back down, Xavier and Ash laughing just as loud as me.

"God, that was amazing! Next time warn me, so I can get a picture," Ashton cackles.

"No fucking way am I ever doing that again, and you're never going to get your picture," Cole says with a little too much confidence. Then he looks at me. "What the fuck was that for?"

"You asked me to show you, so I did. Did I not?"

"Well, yeah, but you could have just demonstrated on something else. Like, I don't know, a stick."

"Go big or go home," I shrug.

"Wow, you are too perfect," Ashton says, putting his hand atop my head and ruffling it. I swat his hand away.

"Yeah, yeah," I murmur.

"Come on, let's go inside. I'm sure we all have some homework to do," announces Xavier.

Cole groans, "Way to ruin the mood, buzzkill."

We walk back inside and finish our homework at the kitchen table. There are some funny conversations here and there . . . and a little goofing off. But we get it done none the less. And by the time we finish, it's already 10:00 pm, and I'm so tired that I keep dozing off every three seconds.

"I think it's time to go to bed," Ashton chuckles after seeing my head fall and hit the table for the seventh time in the last five minutes.

"Mhmm..." I hum, too tired to formulate words. This grants me a few snickers from my boys. I feel so blessed that I get to call them mine and mean it, because they are mine. They're my Given; that has to mean something.

Xavier stands up from his chair and walks around the table to where I'm sitting. I have no clue why until I find myself in his arms. I'm too tired to respond, so I just let him carry me up the stairs. I try to keep my eyes open to evaluate the interior design, not having seen upstairs yet. Yeah . . . a lot has happened in the past 24 hours. I met my boys, had a run in with a vampire, and found my Given. I've had more life-changing experiences happen today than I've had in my whole life. I just hope nothing ruins all the good I've come to cherish in this short amount of time. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost my boys.

I'm not given any more time to contemplate my life, as I find myself being gently placed on a bed. I very soft bed.

Is this a cloud? How did Ashton manage to buy a cloud?

From the chuckles I hear being passed around the room, I can tell I didn't just think that--I said it.

"Okay, babe. I really think it's time for you to get some sleep. It sounds like your sleep-deprivation is starting to get to you."

By the time they get me under the blankets and cover me up, I'm out like a light.

I'm on a tight rope, walking from one end to another. Beneath the rope lies an endless void. Though, the rope feels more like rough barbed wire on my bare feet. My soles are being shredded apart. The thread of the rope is beginning to snap, and the rope becomes increasingly more thin and fragile. This is my escape, my last option, my only hope. Behind me is a torturous doom. Ahead lies a merciful refuge, one where I can finally be free. But I have to cross this dangerous valley before making it to the peak of the more superior and forgiving mountain.

That task seems to be less achievable by each passing second and each snapping thread. I stumble, and for a moment, I lose my balance. I'm teetering on the most deadly balance beam the world has ever created, and I try not to look down to the dark depths that lie below. But the tortuous doom I'm leaving behind seems to grab ahold of the rope and crawl its way towards me. Its speed is increasing, and it seems to be gaining on me.

But the threshold that lies ahead seems to open its arms for me to embrace. I try to increase my pace, but I, once again, lose my balance. I try not to look down, but the bottomless pit seems to increase in size. The darkness grows to the point where it almost consumes me.

Almost.

I'm almost there; my refuge is so close. I look back, and the monstrous doom is right behind me, snarling and snapping. It knows it almost has me. I can tell by the victorious smirk on the beast's face.

Somehow, my pace quickens. So close, almost there. A couple more steps and I'm free.

One . . . Two . . . Three . . .

One more step and I've made it. And just as I'm about to take my last step into my new beginning, the beast grabs me by my ankles and yanks me back. Slowly, we descend back into my own personal prison. My own personal hell: loneliness.

I start with a gasp; I'm sweating profusely. And I try to wipe the beads of sweat off my forehead, but more continue to form. I begin to hyperventilate. The dream just seemed so real. I can't be dragged away now; I won't. Not when I have people to protect. Not when I've finally found a real family and people that actually care about me. I can't let them down. If I were to disappoint them, I feel like I'd be failing them and myself. No. Not now. Not ever.

Tears are starting to form in my eyes. I try to keep them at bay, but it's no use. My hyperventilating becomes a full-on panic attack. My mind is getting so distraught at even the thought of them leaving, that it's going into overdrive.

Suddenly, I hear what sounds like a stampede trampling its way to the door of this room, and I see the boys race in. They begin to crowd around me, bringing me into their warm embrace.

"Kitten, what's wrong?! Are you hurt? What happened?"

"Easy, Cole. You're making it worse. Clearly she's not in a state to answer you right now," Xavier reprimands him.

In a flash, they're all pushed out of the way, until all that I can see is Ashton. He kneels on the bed in front of me. He hunches over and looks me directly in the eyes. His hands reach forward and grab me by each shoulder. My panic attack just increases ten-fold. I know they'd never hurt me, but I can't help but feel this is a very vulnerable position to be in.

"Easy," he begins. "Take deep breaths, like this. Follow me." He inhales, "Now, exhale slowly."

I follow along with him.

"That's right. Good job," he says.

We do this a couple more times, and my deep panting slowly turns into shallow breaths. And I can breathe normally again. He tucks a piece on my silver hair behind my ear and leans in closer. And just as I think he's about to kiss me, his lips land on my cheek, gently kissing away a stray tear. I still manage to blush a little, even in this mess I've created.

"Very good, babygirl. Now can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I-it's nothing. Just a bad dream, that's all."

"Princess, you're not fooling anyone. We can see that it was more than just a dream. It was a nightmare, a very traumatizing one at that. Tell us, what happened?"

"It's not a very big deal, really. It's stupid, actually."

"Just tell us, kitten. We won't judge you; I promise."

I sigh, "I just had a dream about losing you. That's all. I know it sounds dumb, but I've grown to care about you all so much, that the thought of losing you literally sends me into a panic. And I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again. I've been alone my whole life--never cared for and never picked. But now, I have a family. Something I never truly had. I-I just can't lose you. I won't."

"Oh, baby, don't worry. We're not going anywhere."

"You promise?" My voice sounds way too frail, even for me.

"Yes, Avelyn. We promise," they all manage to say simultaneously. It makes my heart flutter.

"Angel, do you think you could go back to sleep?" Xavier asks. I was a little thrown off. He's never called me angel before. Butterflies begin to flutter in my stomach.

"Angel?" I question him.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you are an angel--our angel, literally and figuratively. But that's not the topic at hand. Princess, do think think you'll be able to go back to sleep? Tomorrow's Tuesday, and we have school," he replies.

I quickly glance around the room, finding an electronic alarm clock sitting atop the bedside table.

1:57 am.

Noticing my attention shift, they follow my gaze. They see the time and smile.

"Today," Xavier corrects himself.

"Yes, I guess so. But can you stay with me? I don't want to be alone right now," I answer.

"Of course. Which one?" Cole questions. I flinch, not out of pain, but out of surprise. I didn't expect them to ask me that, and I definitely don't have an answer. I could never choose between them!

"U-um c-can you all just stay? I can't ch-choose." My voice is but a weak whisper.

They all make quick, decisive eye contact, as if they're coming to an agreement and solution.

They all turn their eyes back to me, and Ash answers.

"Certainly, anything for you, Ava."

They all climb into bed with me and crawl under the covers. Xavier on my left, Ash on my right, and Coco at my feet. My back is pressed against Xavier's chest, in a spooning kind of position. And Ash is cuddling my front, with his arm draped over my torso. Cole has his head resting against my shins and his arms wrapped around them as well; he's settled into a tucked, curled position. I wouldn't imagine it to be too comfortable, but he looks very content with it.

My magic starts to buzz, and my tattoos begin to tingle. At least now I know why. I'm in a state of pure happiness, and right now, nothing could ruin this moment. Except for maybe the fact that we have to get up in, like, four hours. Wrapped in their embrace, I fall asleep once more. This time, only good dreams follow. Dreams of a future with my amazing Given. Dreams where my happiness never ends.

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So, this was a bit of a filler chapter, but I just wanted to get one out. Next one will be more eventful, and there might be a new character introduced. *wink wonk* I apologize for any mistakes. It's been a long day, and I'm pretty exhausted. So...

*insert signature sign off here*

As always, until next time...

Sincerely,

The Annoying Author Lady