41.13: Chapter 11: Lexie's Story

You light up the world

Watch the bear try to whistle

Don't look to the past

Dance across the Universe

You were meant to be a star

"Carter?" I repeat.

"Alex, please come back!"

"I'm right here."

"He can't hear you." I turn to see my dad. "But you do have to go back."

"But what if I want to stay?"

He gives a soft smile and shakes his head. "That's not how this works."

He's right. No matter where I am--whether on another realm, or somewhere across the Universe--I know I'll have to go back to the Earth realm.

My memories start flooding back in a flash. I remember being spelled. I bring my mind back to the present and look at my dad.

"I can't go back," I say to him.

"Why not?" I hear both my dad, and a ghostly Carter say to me. I must be speaking, or mumbling, on the earth plane too.

"He's going to be upset with me."

"I'm sure he won't be."

"I'm not mad at you," Carter says.

I start to tear up a bit. "I'm pretty sure he will want nothing to do with me when he finds out."

"That's not true," both say.

"What the?" I begin to ask. "Did you see that?" Out of the corner of my eye, I see a bear with a whistle.

"Darling," my dad says. "There's no one here but you and me. You're not meant to be on this plane for long. You're starting to hallucinate. You need to go back and talk things through with Charles."

"Alex, please," I hear Carter's cry. "You light up the world. You are my world. I promise I'm not mad at you."

I turn towards the hologram of Carter. He looks so sullen. I promised myself I would never want to see him sad. I turn back around to see my dad one last time, but he's gone. He must have gone back home.

"This is all astral projection," I say to myself. "But how do I get back?"

I feel a hand on mine. I look to see it's Carter's hand. I look up. He's looking more real, and less of a hologram. He takes his other hand, and places it on my hip. He pulls me towards him, letting my hand go. Both his hands are on my hips, and my arms fly around his neck.

He lowers his head down so our foreheads are touching.

"Alex," he whispers. "I love you. Surely you must know that."

I sigh. "I love you too."

His lips press gently against mine. With my eyes closed, I can feel the energy around us shift. The bad energy from the spell is lifting, being replaced by the good energy.

I open my eyes to find Carter staring at me.

"Welcome back," he gives me a warm smile.

I smile back. "Where am I?"

"This is what my room looked like back in eighteen ninety-seven."

"It's so different than what it looks like now." I bite down on my bottom lip.

He takes his thumb and gently releases my lower lip from the grips of my teeth.

"I know Lacy had told me the spell would be the toughest for you to break, but how in the world could you ever think I would be mad at you?"

I take a deep breath. "I knew after you had your twins, and the loss of your son," I pause. "I just knew you didn't want to have anymore children. You didn't want to risk them becoming wolves."

"Did you think I wouldn't want you?"

I close my eyes and nod.

I feel him gently lift my chin. "Look at me, please," he whispers. I open my eyes and stare into his baby blues. "I have never wanted to be with anyone the way I want to be with you. I feel like we have this connection, me and you, like we're meant to be together always. Throughout time and space."

"We've been together a long time," I admit.

"We've traveled just about everywhere," he smiles. "Now we'll do it as a family."

He takes his hand, and places it on my belly. "This little boy or girl will have a great mom. And I have faith in your powers. You will do what it takes so they won't turn into a wolf on a full moon."

"Actually," I begin, recalling my conversation with my dad. "He or she might be powerful enough to not change on their own."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Oh, really?"

"Carter, I have to tell you something else."

I tell him the story of what my dad, Lucas, told me.

"I always knew you were special," he smiles his perfect smile. "And Catherine? Does she know?"

I shake my head. "Not yet, but I will tell her before we go back to our time."

"We can go back anytime you're ready."

"Yes," I agree. I want to go see my little pup. "But first, I want to talk to Lacy."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Why?"

"When you were unconscious, the bounty hunter came back after her. He wanted her to testify, but she was so frightened and ran off to Lachrymose Hills. She fell. Jeremiah and Catherine tried to save her in time, but they were too late."

I stay silent for a few moments. I listen to see if I hear any cries for help. No one is asking.

"She must be a peace," I finally say.

"She did live a very troublesome life, no thanks to the count."

"Agreed," I say before changing the subject.

I know now that no matter what obstacles come in our way, Carter and I will always find a way around it.

*****************

Stay tuned for the epilogue.

Topic: Colleen

Picture: Christopher

Picture Phrase Guesses:

1. Jingle bell rock

2. Light up 

3. Fired up

4. Santa Claus is coming to town.

5. Eh, I know it's going to be something clever I'll never get...and then on Sunday I will be berating myself for being stupid and not guessing that...

DJ