TOC Part 14 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JOURNAL ENTRY #15
OCTOBER, 1995
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It was almost a week before Gina came back down with the kids. When she did, it made up for everything. Aymee and Inez rushed around, greeting everyone happily. After celebrating their reunion with the group, they rushed over to the lab. Apparently, they'd missed being invisible as much as anything. I have to admit, I barely noticed them. My eyes were only for Gina. (Come to think, that's not really saying too much, considering how quick her kids were to become invisible again. Still, you know what I mean.)
She stood there, shyly, waiting at the door to the Fortress.
I walked up to her. I paused, realizing I had no idea what to do next. "Hi," I said with a nervous smile on my face.
"Hi," she said, smiling back. That was a good sign.
I fidgeted awkwardly. Idly, I wondered if this was how Wells felt all the time. "I missed you," a voice said. After a moment, I realized the voice had been mine.
"I missed you, too."
The next thing I knew, she was in my arms. Looking back on things, it seems like a scene I've watched a hundred times in movies and TV shows. Living it, though, it just felt right.
We talked, later. And hugged some more, of course. As much as we felt comfortable in front of the kids. When she left that night, I knew things were going to be okay.
After that, I started to keep my eyes out for something. Bobby would have helped me, I'm sure, but I wanted to do it myself. A couple of weeks later, it came to me. Lois and Clark had gotten tangled up with this guy. He was trying to claim the power of the ancient druids for his own purposes. Another nutcase looking to take over the world. Clark stopped him, of course, but left us to clean up. It wasn't too bad that time, but we did end up with a few shards from a cracked emerald. One which experience had shown me was genuinely magical. (Yes, I know. I had a hard time with magic, too, but if you can accept a flying alien and a time travelling writer, magic isn't so bad.)
We returned the larger pieces of the emeralds to their rightful places, of course, but didn't want to risk them becoming whole again. So we kept a few of the shards. I was worried that they might be evil, or at least bad luck, but Phillip assured me that the druids hadn't been nearly as evil as their reputation had suggested. Clearly, Patrick had been, but the ancient druids had, Phillip explained, suffered a fate common to the priests of conquered people. The victors had demonized them, telling stories of horrors and atrocities, in an effort to stamp out the last of their religion. The real druids had been protectors. They'd also been keepers of knowledge (sometimes secret), which they'd used for the good of their people. That sounded apt to me.
I took a shard to Alan, and had him mount it on a piece of metal from my right arm — a gear which had been due for replacement, but more importantly, a true part of myself. Alan smoothed out the gear and secured the stone. I hadn't done it all myself, but it felt better than just taking money from the boss.
I presented the ring to Gina a few days later. She cried a little when she saw it, which only made my nervousness worse. Then she said the most important thing she's ever told me. "Yes."
Part 16
