Can We Wake Her?

Can We Wake Her?
Kara

“Not a single person here thinks you’re fragile, Kara. Hell, you’re the most powerful person amongst us. We worry because we’ve all lost you before, and we can’t face it happening again.” My dad explains, cocking his head to the side in amusement.

“What’s so funny?” I grumble.

“Your mom used to give me that same look.” I smile at him and then glance at the bed.

“Do we know how to get her back?”

“I think Kind Stefan is the key to her waking up. He should be able to use the mate bond to reach out to her.” He shook his head as Tamara and everyone walked over closer to us as Samara explained her theory.

“I haven’t been able to reach her through our bond. It’s there, I can still sense it, but I can’t connect to it anymore,” he says sadly, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at Mom’s hand longingly.

“Maybe try touching her?” I prompt, hoping to give him the push he needed to reach out to her.

“What if she never wakes up, Kara?”

“We don’t know unless we try, Dad,” I say, sitting next to him and laying my hand over his. 

“Let’s do it together.” He suggests, and I nod, nervous and excited all at once. He lifts our hands and lays them gently on her hand, both of us holding our breath in anticipation. A small ripple covers mom’s hand under our contact, but only for a moment. Dad looks down, defeated, and tears spring into my eyes, blurring my vision. I look to Leif and see the disappointment in his face. He was hoping it would work like the rest of us. 

“Take your hand off your dad’s and hold her other hand, Kara,” Hera whispers, coming close to the bed, her eyes glowing as she watches my mom’s body. I scramble to the other side of the bed, quickly laying my hand on my mom's as Hera instructed. Bolts of gold lightning flicker across her skin, blossoming outward from her chest. 

“Kara, pull Laine back now. Stefan, let Vargon come forward. I can feel her, but we need your dragon’s fire to help her.”

‘Laine! I need you back!’ 

‘I’m just outside the window, I’m close enough.’ At her reply, I focus on pulling her back into me and shudder as I feel her fire spark inside me. Stefan’s eyes have turned a mix of red and green, showing he’s got Vargon at the ready. Hera stands behind me and places her hands on my shoulders.

“Let the fire warm your hands and keep both of them on her skin. Vargon, call to your mate bond, summon your Queen, quickly.” I follow Hera’s instructions and watch my hands begin to glow before I press both of them to her arm, watching as pink lightning begins to ripple through, crisscrossing over the gold streaks. I watch as Dad presses his hands to her, and red streaks begin looping and swirling through the gold and pink, streaking in all directions over her body.

“My Queen, please, come back to me. It’s safe, my little firefly, please come back.” Vargon’s gravelly voice is heavy with emotion, the longing and fear heavy in his tone. He picks up her hand and lowers his head to it, softly pleading with my mother to wake up. The colorful bolts continue to dance across Amanda’s body, flickering without connecting across her temples. 

“Please, mom, please.” I plead softly, tears slipping down my face and landing on her hand. Sparks erupt from her skin at the contact, before the lightning begins to flicker faster, coming to meet in the middle of her chest, swirling around in circles, tightening in on itself before exploding out of her and raining sparks through the room. The room is silent as we stare at my mom's body, waiting to see what will happen next. After a few minutes, we let out our held breaths.

“It didn’t work,” I say sadly, pressing a kiss to my mom's hand before setting in on the bed, still holding it softly in my own. 

“That’s ok, we won’t give up.” Samara looks to Tamara.

“That’s right, we’ll start combing through books and scrolls or whatever we need to, to find a way to wake her up.” My dad sighs and sets her hand down. Leaning in, he presses a soft kiss to mom’s forehead. 

“We’ll find a way to bring you back, firefly. I won’t give up until we do.” He stands and slowly lets go of her hand, turning to leave. My eyes fly open when I feel her finger twitch under my hand. My eyes shot up to her face just in time to see her eyelashes flutter once and her eyes slowly open, blinking against the bright light in the room.

“I always knew you’d bring me home, love.” My heart stops in my chest hearing my mom’s rough voice. My dad whirls around and, with a sob, falls to his knees. 

“Firefly…”

“Come here, my king,” She smiles, holding her hand towards him. He leaps for it and grabs it like it's a lifeline. The look on his face makes my heart ache, watching as he stares into her eyes, emotion darkening his face.

“I thought you were lost to me forever.” He cries, rubbing his hand against her cheek as tears fall silently from her emerald eyes. Dad wipes away her tears and kisses her hand.

“There’s someone else you need to say hello to, my love.” 

“I didn’t forget my baby, Stefan. It’s been a lot longer since I’ve seen you, though.”  My mom squeezes my hand and turns her head to look at me, tears falling faster now.

“My baby girl, look at how you’ve grown. I knew when I visited you that you’d grow into a beautiful young woman.” I sniffle and smile.

“I’m so glad you're here, momma.” 

“I’m not going anywhere, ever again, baby. We’ve got the rest of our long lives to make up for the time Julius took from us.” Her eyes burned with hatred at the mention of his name. 

“Help me sit up, please?” Dad jumps up to help sit her up while Hera supplies a few pillows to help prop behind her back. She smiles up at Hera in thanks before noticing the room full of people. She spots Aunt Clara and squeals, holding out her hand.

“Clara, dear sister, come here!” Clara smiles and steps forward, hugging Amanda tightly as Ada stands slightly behind her. Mom looks behind her and smiles.

“Hi, Auntie.” Ada smiles softly as Mom gasps.

“Is that my Addie all grown up?” Ada nods at mom’s question.

“Oh, Clara, our girls have grown so much since I’ve been gone. I missed all the good stuff. Julius is going to pay for this. Where is that traitorous bastard?” Mom growls, looking to Dad to answer.

“Well, it’s complicated. Julius wasn’t powerful enough, so he summoned the Reaper to take Cronus’s power, except Cronus took over Julius’s body and killed the Reaper and is set on destroying all of us.” 

“Well fuck.”