MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred Four: The Awakening
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Eight months had passed since the twins were born.
The house in Manila was chaos now. Beautiful, loud, wonderful chaos. Aurora and Alexander were crawling everywhere. Up the stairs. Down the halls. Into the kitchen. Into the garden. Into trouble. Percy had baby-proofed everything three times. It was not enough.
Aurora was fast. She had Keifer's eyes, dark and steady, watching everything. She had Jay's determination, her stubbornness, her will. She crawled like she was racing. She never stopped. She never rested. She was always moving.
Alexander was slower. He had Jay's eyes, bright and sharp, missing nothing. He had Keifer's patience, his stillness, his calm. He crawled like he was exploring. He stopped to look at everything. He watched. He waited. He learned.
They were nine months old now. Their first birthday was coming. Percy was already planning. There would be elephants. Honey had said no. Percy was planning anyway.
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The morning came bright and warm.
Jay sat in the garden, a cup of tea in her hands, her face turned toward the sun. Keifer was beside her, his hand in hers, his face soft. The twins were inside with Percy. Percy was supposed to be watching them. Percy was not watching them.
Aurora crawled down the hall. Fast. Determined. She knew where she was going. She always knew where she was going. Alexander followed. Slower. Curious. He wanted to see what she was going to do. He always wanted to see.
They passed Percy's room. Percy was on the phone with a caterer. He was arguing about elephants. He did not see them. They passed Aries and Ella's room. The door was closed. They passed Care and Cole's room. The door was closed. They passed Rakki and Ci N's room. The door was closed. They passed Mica and Calix's room. The door was closed. They passed Freya and Erdix's room. The door was closed. They passed Grace and Denzel's room. The door was closed. They passed Kuya Angelo and Ion's room. The door was closed. They passed Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel's room. The door was closed. They passed Keiran and Keigan's room. The door was open. Keiran was at school. Keigan was with him.
Aurora stopped at the end of the hall. The door was open. The room was quiet. The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red on the table beside the bed. Fresh roses. Percy brought them every morning.
Aurora crawled inside.
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The room was dim. The curtains were drawn. The light was soft. Lyra lay on the bed, her face pale, her eyes closed, her hand empty. Alex was not there. He had gone to the kitchen. He had not been gone long. He was always gone for only a few minutes. He could not stay away longer.
The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red. Lyra's face was still.
Aurora stopped at the foot of the bed. She looked up. Her eyes were dark. Her face was serious. She was watching. She was waiting. She was always watching.
Alexander crawled in behind her. He stopped beside his sister. He looked at the bed. At the woman lying there. At the machines. At the roses. He tilted his head. He was curious. He was always curious.
Aurora crawled closer. She pulled herself up on the side of the bed. Her hands gripped the blanket. Her feet pushed against the floor. She stood. Unsteady. Wobbly. Determined.
She looked at Lyra's face. At her pale skin. At her closed eyes. At her still hands.
Aurora frowned. She did not like this. She did not like the stillness. She did not like the silence. She did not like the woman who would not wake up.
She reached out. Her hand touched Lyra's face. Small. Warm. Alive. Her fingers pressed against Lyra's cheek. Soft. Gentle. Insistent.
Lyra did not move.
Aurora pressed harder. Her face was red. Her lips were pressed together. She wanted this woman to wake up. She did not know why. She just knew she needed her to wake up.
Lyra did not move.
Aurora's face crumpled. Her lips trembled. Her eyes filled with tears. She did not cry often. She was strong. She was stubborn. She was her mother's daughter. But this was too much. This was too heavy. This was too sad.
She cried.
Small at first. A whimper. A sob. Then louder. A wail that filled the room. That echoed down the hall. That reached the garden where Jay was sitting with Keifer. That reached the kitchen where Alex was pouring coffee. That reached every corner of the house where the family was waiting.
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The sound was small. The sound was huge. The sound was a child crying for a woman she had never met. A woman who had saved her. A woman who had saved her mother. A woman who was fighting to come back.
The sound reached Lyra.
She heard it. Somewhere deep. Somewhere dark. Somewhere she had been hiding for months. A sound. A cry. A child. Her child? No. Not her child. But a child she had saved. A child she had protected. A child she had died for.
Her fingers moved. Just a flicker. Just a twitch. Just enough.
Aurora cried harder. Her face was red. Her tears were falling. Her hands were reaching. She wanted this woman to wake up. She wanted her to hold her. She wanted her to make it better.
The sound reached deeper. Pushed through the darkness. Cut through the silence. Reached the place where Lyra was hiding. Reached the place where Lyra was waiting. Reached the place where Lyra was fighting.
Her eyes opened.
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The light was bright. The room was soft. The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red. And there was a child. A small child. A child with dark eyes and dark hair and a face that was red from crying.
Lyra looked at her. Her vision was blurry. Her mind was slow. Her body was heavy. But she saw the child. She saw the tears. She heard the crying.
Her hand moved. Slowly. Heavily. She lifted it from the bed. She reached for the child. Her fingers touched Aurora's face. Small. Warm. Alive.
Aurora stopped crying. Her eyes went wide. Her mouth opened. She looked at the hand on her face. She looked at the woman who was looking at her. The woman with pale skin and dark eyes and a face that was not blank anymore.
Lyra's lips moved. No sound came out. She tried again. Her voice was a whisper. Hoarse. Weak. Barely there. "Don't cry."
Aurora blinked. Her tears stopped. Her breathing slowed. She stared at the woman who had spoken to her. The woman who had woken up. The woman who was holding her face.
Lyra's hand moved. She pulled Aurora closer. She lifted her onto the bed. She held her against her chest. Small. Warm. Alive. Aurora's heart beat against Lyra's heart. Her breath was warm against Lyra's neck. Her hand was a fist against Lyra's skin.
Lyra held her. Her arms were weak. Her body was heavy. Her mind was slow. But she held the child. The child she had saved. The child who had called her back. The child who had woken her up.
Aurora stopped crying. Her face relaxed. Her eyes closed. Her breathing slowed. She was safe. She was warm. She was home.
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Alexander crawled to the bed. He pulled himself up beside his sister. He looked at the woman holding her. He looked at her eyes. Open. Dark. Alive. He reached out. His hand touched Lyra's arm. Small. Warm. Alive.
Lyra looked at him. Another child. A boy with bright eyes and a serious face. He was watching her. He was waiting. He was always waiting.
She pulled him onto the bed. She held him against her other side. Two small bodies. Two small hearts. Two small lives. Pressed against her chest. Pressed against her heart. Pressed against her soul.
She held them. Her arms were weak. Her body was heavy. Her mind was slow. But she held them. The children she had saved. The children who had called her back. The children who had woken her up.
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Jay was running.
She had heard Aurora's cry from the garden. She had left her tea on the steps. She had left Keifer behind. She ran through the house. Past the kitchen. Past the stairs. Past the rooms where her family was living. She ran to the end of the hall. To the room that was always quiet. To the room that was always waiting.
The door was open. The room was dim. The machines were beeping. The monitors were glowing. The roses were red.
And Lyra was awake.
She was sitting up in the bed. Her face was pale. Her eyes were dark. Her arms were around Aurora and Alexander. The twins were pressed against her chest. Aurora was sleeping. Alexander was watching.
Jay stopped in the doorway. Her hands went to her mouth. Her face was wet. Her knees were weak.
"Lyra," Jay whispered.
Lyra looked up. Her eyes were tired. Her face was thin. Her lips were dry. But she was awake. She was alive. She was home.
"Jay," Lyra said. Her voice was hoarse. Her voice was weak. Her voice was real.
Jay walked to the bed. Her steps were slow. Her hands were shaking. She sat on the edge. She reached out. Her hand touched Lyra's face. Her skin was cold. Her skin was real. Her skin was alive.
"You're awake," Jay said. Her voice was cracking. "You're awake."
Lyra leaned into her hand. "I'm awake."
Jay pulled her close. Her arms were around her. Her face was in her hair. "You're awake. You're awake. You're awake."
Lyra held her. Her arms were weak. Her body was heavy. But she held her sister. The sister she had saved. The sister who had waited for her. The sister who had never given up.
"I'm here," Lyra said. "I'm here."
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Keifer stood in the doorway. His face was wet. His hands were empty. Alex stood beside him. His face was white. His hands were shaking. He had heard the crying. He had run. He had seen. He had not believed. He had hoped. He had prayed. And now she was awake.
"Lyra," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking.
Lyra looked at him. At the man who had waited for her. At the man who had never left. At the man who had loved her when she was nothing. "Alex."
He walked to the bed. He fell to his knees. His hands were on her face. His eyes were on hers. "You're awake. You're awake."
She touched his face. Her fingers were cold. Her touch was light. "I'm awake."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you. I love you. I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
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The family gathered in the doorway.
Percy was crying. Honey was holding him. Aries was crying. Ella was holding them. Care was crying. Cole was holding her. Rakki was crying. Ci N was holding her. Mica was crying. Calix was holding her. Freya was crying. Erdix was holding her. Grace was crying. Denzel was holding her. Kuya Angelo was crying. Ion was holding him. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her. Keiran was crying. Keigan was holding him.
Lyra looked at them. At her family. At the people who had waited for her. At the people who had never given up.
"I'm home," Lyra said.
Percy walked to the bed. His face was wet. His hands were shaking. "You're home."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "Don't do that again. Don't ever do that again."
Lyra held him. "I won't."
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The sun was setting when the room finally emptied.
The twins were in the nursery. Sleeping. Safe. Home. Alex was beside Lyra. His hand was in hers. His face was soft. His eyes were on her. He didn't look away. He didn't want to.
"You're staring," Lyra said. Her voice was still hoarse. Her voice was still weak. But it was her voice.
Alex smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I'm observing."
She almost smiled. Almost. "Same thing."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
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Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back. The twins were sleeping. Lyra was awake. The family was whole.
"She's awake," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "She's awake."
Jay leaned against him. "She came back."
Keifer pulled her close. "She always comes back."
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR