MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Healing
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The morning after Lyra came home, the house was different.
The walls were still the same. The windows were still the same. The garden was still blooming. But something had shifted. Something had settled. Something had healed.
Lyra was in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the window where she used to watch. She wasn't running. She wasn't hiding. She was just standing. She was just home.
Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers. His face was soft. His eyes were on her. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. He was just there. He was just home.
Percy was in the kitchen, making breakfast, his voice loud, his laughter echoing. Aries was beside him, their hand in his, their face soft. Ella was at the table, her hands folded, her face calm. Care was on the sofa, her head bandaged, her face peaceful. Cole was beside her, his hand in hers. Grace was with Denzel at the window. Kit was with Mayo on the floor. Freya was with Erdix at the door. Rakki was with Ci N at the table. Mica was with Calix at the screens. Honey was on the line, her voice quiet, her presence steady.
Jay stood at the window of the study. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"She's home," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "She's home."
---
The days passed.
Lyra moved through the house like a ghost learning to be human again. She stood in her corner. She watched the street. She drank coffee with Alex in the morning. She ate breakfast with Percy in the kitchen. She sat with Ella in the garden. She walked with Care through the flowers. She talked with Jay in the study. She was quiet. She was still. She was healing.
Alex was with her every moment. He didn't push. He didn't pressure. He was just there. He brought her coffee. He held her hand. He sat beside her in the corner. He waited. He was always waiting.
"You're staring," she said one morning.
He smiled. "I'm observing."
She almost smiled. Almost. "Same thing."
He pulled her close. His arm was around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you."
She leaned against him. "I love you too."
---
Percy was in the garden when Lyra found him.
He was planting flowers with Aries. His hands were in the dirt. His face was soft. He looked up when she walked over.
"You're in the garden," Percy said.
She stood beside him. "I'm in the garden."
He looked at her. At her pale face. At her short hair. At the scars on her skin. "You're not standing in your corner."
She looked at the house. At the window where her corner was. "I'm trying something new."
He smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I like it."
She knelt beside him. Her hands went into the dirt. "What are we planting?"
"Roses. Red ones. Care said they were your favorite."
She looked at the small plants. At the green stems. At the buds that would bloom. "They are."
Percy put his hand on her shoulder. "Welcome home, Lyra."
She looked at him. Her face was blank. Her eyes were not. "I'm home."
---
Care was on the sofa when Lyra found her.
Her head was still bandaged. Her face was still pale. Cole was beside her, his hand in hers. She looked up when Lyra walked in.
"You're not in your corner," Care said.
Lyra sat beside her. "I'm trying something new."
Care smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I like it."
Lyra looked at the bandages. At the wound that was healing. At the sister who had taken a hit for her. "Does it hurt?"
Care touched her head. "Not anymore."
Lyra's voice was low. "I'm sorry."
Care took her hand. "Don't be sorry. I would do it again. I would do it a hundred times. You're my sister. You're my family. I would do anything for you."
Lyra's face was wet. "I don't know how to be a sister. I don't know how to be a friend. I don't know how to be—"
Care pulled her close. Her arms were around her. "You don't have to know. You just have to be here. With us. That's all we need."
Lyra held her. "I'll try."
Care held her tighter. "That's all we ask."
---
Ella was in the garden when Lyra found her.
She was sitting on the steps, her hands folded, her face turned toward the sun. Aries was beside her, their hand in hers. She looked up when Lyra walked over.
"You're not in your corner," Ella said.
Lyra sat beside her. "I'm trying something new."
Ella smiled. It was soft. Warm. Real. "I like it."
Lyra looked at the garden. At the flowers that were blooming. At the steps where she used to stand. "I used to watch you from my corner. You were always sitting here. You were always calm. You were always—"
"Waiting," Ella said.
Lyra looked at her. "Waiting for what?"
Ella looked at Aries. At the person beside her. At the hand in hers. "For someone to see me. For someone to love me. For someone to—"
Aries kissed her hand. "I see you. I love you. I'm here."
Ella's face was soft. "I know."
Lyra looked at them. At the love between them. At the peace. At the home they had built. "You're lucky."
Ella took her hand. "You're lucky too. You have Alex. You have Percy. You have Care. You have Jay. You have all of us. And we're not going anywhere."
Lyra looked at the house. At the window where Alex was watching. At the corner where she used to stand. At the home she had come back to. "I know."
---
Jay was in the study when Lyra found her.
She was standing at the map, the pins and strings gone, the faces taken down. The wall was bare. The war was over. She turned when Lyra walked in.
"You're not in your corner," Jay said.
Lyra walked to the window. She stood beside Jay. "I'm trying something new."
Jay smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I like it."
Lyra looked at the garden. At the flowers. At the steps. At the place where she had almost died. The place where she had come back to life. "I used to watch you from my corner. You were always in here. You were always fighting. You were always—"
"Trying to survive," Jay said.
Lyra looked at her. "You survived."
Jay looked at the garden. At Keifer in the yard, talking to Percy, his face soft, his hands steady. "We survived."
Lyra followed her gaze. "He loves you. He's always loved you."
Jay smiled. "I know."
Lyra was quiet for a moment. "I didn't know how to come back. I didn't know how to be here. I didn't know how to be the person I was before. I didn't know how to be—"
Jay took her hand. "You don't have to be the person you were before. You just have to be here. With us. That's all we need."
Lyra looked at their hands. At the fingers laced together. At the sister who had never stopped looking for her. "I'm here."
Jay pulled her close. Her arms were around her. "I know."
---
The night came.
The house was warm. The lights were soft. The family was together. Percy was in the kitchen, making dinner, his voice loud. Aries was beside him, their hand in his. Ella was at the table, her hands folded, her face calm. Care was on the sofa, her head bandaged, her face peaceful. Cole was beside her. Grace was with Denzel. Kit was with Mayo. Freya was with Erdix. Rakki was with Ci N. Mica was with Calix. Honey was on the screen, her voice quiet, her presence steady.
Jay was at the window. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers.
Alex was in the corner with Lyra. Her corner. His hand was in hers. His face was soft.
"You're staring," she said.
He smiled. "I'm observing."
She almost smiled. Almost. "Same thing."
He pulled her close. His arm was around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you."
She leaned against him. "I love you too."
---
Percy came out of the kitchen. His hands were full of plates. His voice was loud.
"Dinner! Everyone! Now!"
The house moved. The family gathered. The table was full. The food was warm. The laughter was loud. Lyra sat between Alex and Care. Her hand was in Alex's. Her face was soft.
Percy raised his glass. "To Lyra. Welcome home."
Everyone raised their glasses. "To Lyra."
Lyra looked at the faces around her. At the family she had found. At the home she had come back to. Her face was wet. Her hands were shaking.
Alex squeezed her hand. "You're home."
She looked at him. "I'm home."
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END OF CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT