Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Mother's Little Secrets
Looking around the canteen. It's not quite crowed as I thought it would be for this time. I think I will take lunch later from now on. It's Thursday. Yup three whole magical days since the dinner of changes let's say. I've even learned some things. Apparently this whole sector are nothing but gossipy clucking hens and horny little bunnies. Turns out my male best friends are like the centerfold for playgirl magazine. Hell even Jaxon has these dirty females drooling. Although it's not hard to see why, he is delicious to look at. Shaking my head a bit.
Guess I need to get used this. Be a bit more open minded. I have avoided everyone like the plague since Monday night. Quinn had told the group. So far that's as far as the news has spread. I have already turned down ten guys who have come up not knowing who I really am to ask me for a date. I got brought back to reality quickly as I heard all the noise come onto the table I was at hidden in the corner.
"Hey." I said weakly at the five blank faces in front of me as they all sat down looking hard at me and each other. "Are we really not going to talk about this?" Quinn asked looking at me as everyone else started to dig in their food. "You going to have to be a little more specific it's been a long week." Ana told him faking confusion. "Woman do not toy with us right now." Jace was quick to snip back at her.
"Do you need maybe a little more time?" Eddie asked with a small smile. "More time for what exactly?" Ana was really confused. "Gee I don't know Analeigh. Maybe the fact that no one has heard from you or spoken to you since Monday night when good ol' dad said he was marrying you off on his first damn night in seeing you in a what a year?" Quinn was lowly yelling. The table got quite. I know how much he wanted to protect me from this but we both know that wasn't something in his power.
"Ana Quinn said Jaxon followed you out. What happened?" Sienna asked her trying to know the full situation. Analeigh took a moment to look around the table. It's better to let them know I mean it's not like it's something we can go back on. I mean we did talk it out and I did openly agree. I need to be more mindful about Jaxon going forward. He has been texting me nonstop. Calling me he is the only person I have spoken with. Why am I hiding from them?
"Jaxon. Jaxon came and apologized to me for how everything happened. He confessed he has been in love with me for years. He came to my dad for a chance to date me but dad took it to his own to just give me to him. I know how sorry and guilty he felt about the situation. We talked and he laid out some very important pin points about us and our history and stuff. I admit he meets my paper criteria I gave dad in the first place. Who knew the first time he would listen to me or my wants would be this issue." I choked out a laugh at my own mockery.
"After everything was said and done. I came to realize that Jaxon was right. He is ideally the perfect guy for me to be paired with. So I agreed." Ana said as she took in her drink. "You agreed. To marry Jaxon?" Jace's face was in shock. "Just like that. You didn't sleep on it or anything?" Eddie asked which shocked everyone. "I didn't need to." Ana told him in a simple tone. "Look Ana I can talk to your dad maybe he can change his mind. He's been after me to get married to I can just let him set me up and give you some more time." She cut him off.
"No Quinn. No you're not. I. I am really ok with this. I mean come you guys it's Jaxon is he not one of our other best friends? I mean you guys know what a great guy he is. There is no one realistically I wouldn't be happier with him than some other random dude, given the situation I am in. This is just how the world works. Quinn I really need you to let any type of guilt go. Everything will be fine. I promise I will come to you if anything comes up. I will always be running straight to my favorite older brother." Ana told him softly making him give her a weak smile and a nod.
Analeigh meant a great deal to Quinn there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. In his heart she was really the only family besides the five others at this very table. He had nothing or no one else and he was ok with that. "Have you told your dad about agreeing to this?" Sienna asked with a smile getting on board with making the best of this with Ana. She was actually happy two of her friends were getting married. As long as Ana was truly giving it a chance she will be right there cheering her on. Analeigh smiled knowing how hard Sienna was going to work at making this to be a good thing.
Sienna was truly a cheerleader for romantic things and was the very definition of a girly girl. However she would be your worse nightmare once she was angered. "Not yet. I haven't actually had any contact with him or any one other then Jaxon. "You are sure you want to go through with this. I just need you to tell me straight. I will do anything for you Ana. Just tell it to me straight." Jace was not one to go back on his word. If I ever needed a way out. He would go through Hell to get it. I would never let him though. He is my best friend.
"Jace I want to do this. I owe it to both Jax and I to try. I mean we always had an interesting history together. Who knows maybe this is meant to be. I want this Jace. If anything happens I'll let you know." Jace stared at her for a while. "Ok fine. I give my full support." Lifting his glass. "To our Analeigh and Jaxon may life bring you everything you never knew you always wanted." They all smiled and raised their glass. "To Quinn and Eddie all the luck of the world because you're next." Sienna teased making them all laugh hard.
"Analeigh!" "Hey Julian, how you been?" Ana asked one of the other soldier guards from her squad most came here also in a transfer. Julian carter was someone who she always requested in her squad. They had their own people all the time on request believing int was their chemistry that gave them their success in their missions. "I've been good. We all miss you though. It's a bit different here that's for sure. Anyway your dad is looking around for ya." "Oh ok. Thanks. I'll go to his floor. Let's have dinner next week before I leave with some of the guys ok. I think you're all on night shift next week anyway right?" "Sounds good see you Wednesday night when you clock out just head to canteen." "Deal. Take it easy Jules."
Coming to the elevator she bumped right into her dad. "There you are. I haven't seen you in a bit. I wanted to check up on you. Come on. Come over here I need to get into the storage. Come talk to your ol man for a minute." Her dad was smiling to her. It was rare they got to talk when he was in good moods like this. She felt shame on her for being happy to grab the opportunity. Walking into the storage and looking over maybe some things she would need as well.
"Are you actively avoiding me since Monday?" "No dad. I just been busy getting everything in order to start work. I'm not avoiding you. Plus I know how busy you are." Stopping and standing straight up to turn to look at her from a few steps away. He stepped up a little closer. Taking a deep breath shaking his head.
"Analeigh. I know how difficult I am. Especially here and when it comes to you. I know how hard it must of hit you Monday. It's just I'm getting old kid. You and Quinn are all I have left. I need in my soul to know you two are going to be alright once I'm finally gone. I know how much you feel you lost by me dragging you here. I just. I want things to change between us." Taking a deep exhale running his hands in his hair.
"I just want things to start getting different with us. I want to be closer to you Analeigh I know the next few years time is tight. I do want to retire eventually. I want time with my family and grand kids running around and you. Do you have any idea the pain that goes through a parents heart from the active imagination from the job and life you were doing. Wondering everyday if it may be my kids last day walking or breathing on this Earth. Not being able to get to you should anything happen. The Hell that puts me through?" Analeigh was just lost looking at her dad. Never seeing him this open with her before.
"I know it make me a selfish bastard for dragging you here against your wishes. I just want us to make better for ourselves together. I can't lose you the way I lost your mom Ana. There will be no life for me after that. I would be completely truly lost should that ever happen. I love you so much kid. I just wanted to bring you home. For us to start living life as a family. For you to start getting a move on with your life. I just want you to find what I have with your mother and it takes time. Time I know you wont make for yourself. Jaxon would fit the job well. I have no doubt."
Laughing softly to her. "He's never been one to be able to hide his true feelings for you Ana. Hell the only one who didn't know how crazy that man is for you was you. I trust in him. I know him very well over the years. I couldn't part with you to anyone less deserving Analeigh. I hope one day you will forgive me for doing this. I just want you to know I did everything because I love you and just want the best for you." Her dad finally finished.
"I don't really think I ever heard you talk this much, since mom past. Or you know when you were yelling at me." She laughed to him as they both chuckled to each other. "I just want to be better for you. I just want more with you Analeigh. It's a hard for me or any dad out there when your daughter has always been so independent all of her life. I mean you never really needed me. I could never get as close to you as your mom could. You two had something incredible and I just wanted a little piece of that with you."
For the first time she was actually seeing her father look defeated. He looked like such a normal person sad, showing emotion. It was like finally understanding his side after all these years of wondering what she was always doing wrong. All the times she wondered why it always felt like he was pushing away from here. I guess maybe she didn't realize all the times she started pushing further back herself. Maybe coming here was the right idea. For years I always wanted to clear the air with this man. To be a normal functioning relationship with him.
Even though it's not in my plans or dreams at all. Maybe this is the only way to finally gain that. Who knows maybe in time I will find my big plans weren't so big for me after all. Maybe just this once I should fully trust him on this and go in with open mind and eyes. I've waited so long for something like this. If we don't do something now to fix us it will be to late. Is this something I even want to fix. Has it been too long already? Looking up at him with so much pain and hope even a little of what felt to be regret in his eyes. She couldn't hold back anymore.
"I miss mom. I know how bad you feel dad because of how much I will miss out without her. Even now with Jaxon and everything. I know I didn't make a lot of things easy growing up. Maybe that's just because I am a lot like you though. You were always independent as I was according to grandpa. I will always need you dad. No matter where I go or what I'm doing I'm always going to need you there. I never felt anything different. I just sometimes didn't feel like I was living up to your standards. I just wanted you to see me for me. For who I really am. Not the vision of what you had for me. I want to be closer to you. I just need to know if you can get closer with me. The real me and not some version of me I can live up to in your head."
With her eyes watering up a bit. Gabriel came forward and hugged his kid tight. "I'm sorry if you ever felt that you were lacking in my minds view. You have always been and will be enough. I only pushed you so hard Ana because I knew you were strong. I just wanted to know you would stay that way even after I leave this Earth." Hugging him back they stepped apart. "So are we good?" He asked scratching the back of his neck.
"Yeah we are good." "What about Monday?" She took a deep breath. "Jaxon and I had a heart to heart and we are going to go through with it. I mean. There was no real reason not to." She shrugged to him. "I know you don't feel the same way now as he does. But just give it sometime and I know you won't regret it." "How can you know that." "It was actually the same with your mom. We were always as close as you two. I was in love with her. Nothing I wouldn't do for her. Then our parents came to us and tried their best to get us together. Your mother took the chance on me. I made sure to live everyday to make sure she was glad she did." He smiled and blushed thinking back chasing old memories in his head.
Guess the past really does repeat itself. Well at least hopefully. "Well I guess time will tell. I am trying though. I want to take things slow pace. I know with all the new world rules and everything we are on a time line. I also know we can get a year to get married from time of engagement. We are going to take it step by step though." "I think that's smart. I mean it's a big change in your relationship to make and adjust to. I'm proud of you for letting yourself finally get out there to try. Now let's go ahead and get back to work. I'll be backed up for a few weeks. Text and check in every now and then." He warned. Will do.
Scanning her badge card and sitting down at her work station with her drink. She finally noticed how much lighter she felt. All these years and it's like she can now breath. Looking at the picture frame of her and her mom smiling at the camera. "Looks like things are going to be different now. Huh mom? Guess we should wait and see a little longer." Today just for today I will let myself have this. Smiling to herself giving her heart a little piece. Looking up to her box she stood up and got her attention. Looking all over the room. It's closed? Did I close it without thinking.
Pricking her hand she opened it again and took out one of the journals with certain formulas from certain herbs she had laying around the place. "Better get to work than. Going to be a long afternoon my friend." She said looking at the beautiful tall man statue in the same place he's been. Taking some of the special plants she had around she started dissect them and get them ready to be remedied into something better. Her goal was to come up with the same cures as her mother and maybe even more. They still had an obligation to keep up to make sure the virus's that once came wouldn't be as dangerous as it was last time. So many people died. They wanted to be better prepared.
It was taking a toll on her. The math was amazing. The chemistry and reactions to some of the work she was doing was amazing. Looking over her mothers work she even found a way to alter and change a few things to improve it and make it better working on the theories and formulas were easy yet time consuming. A little more work and she can start to try some of them in reality. She was excited to get it out there into testing but had a ways to go before she go there. Looking down at her laptop it was already 9 p.m.
"Guess time really does fly when you're having fun. Well sleep tight my friend I'm off for a quick burger and bed. Be good for me." She lightly tapped her hand on the statue. Still nice and cool. Maybe she should move it from the vent. No it would be to heavy and it's fine here. It's like she felt the very presence was watching over her mothers legacy. "Watch over the place now. It's really special." Walking out the door to go to the parking lot. "Burning the late night oil?" He said taking her by surprise.
Smiling to each other. "Something like that. Yeah." She smiled to him. "What are you still doing here?" "Well I have been waiting for you. I stayed and worked late also waiting for Eddie to let me know when you finally would crawl out." "I am sorry to keep you waiting. I didn't know you needed something." "Well I need you to take better care of yourself Ana. Like not skipping meals." Her stomach growled and caught both their attention. Looking down and away in shame real quick before he took her chin in his hand to make her look at him.
"No more skipping meals. I know how caught you are and will be. But it is officially my duty to make sure my woman is taking care of herself because I will. Come on follow me down the way here I know how bad you probably want a burger and there's a great diner down the way about ten minutes from here." He told her as she looked at him in shock. "Wow you read my mind." She smiled in shocked happy surprise. "I can read everything about Ana. Follow me out. Parked in front of you." He said opening her car door.
Getting into a booth in the nearly empty restaurant there were few other small groups of people also getting off work late. Jax already knew how she liked her food so he placed the order on the way there from the car. As soon as they sat down the waitress had already brought their food to them. "Wow that was insanely fast." Ana spoke up impressed. "I called in on the way here. Eat up it's getting late and you been putting in a lot of hours lately." He said sliding over the ketchup for her fries.
"You just noticing all kinds of things lately." She accused him in a plain voice. "It's hard for me not to notice something about Ana. I just want you happy and healthy. Skipping meals and cutting out sleep isn't the way to go about it. The work will still be there. In order for us to do our job well we need to take care of ourselves first. Not doing o can result in some pretty bad mistakes there babe." He looked at her wide eyed in shock at the term that just slipped out.
"I ugh." "It's fine Jax. It's ok." She smiled to him making him smile back. The feeling of warmth that spread through him was a little over powering. She was trying. She was really trying for him. Nothing in the world could bring him down from the silent high he was feeling. "You know I do believe this is our first real date." Ana told him. As he choked on his drink in surprise.
"I hadn't thought of it like that. I had something a little better planned. I'm sorry I." Cutting him off. "Jax this is perfect. This is more like us. Think about it. We've never been the fancy type anyway. I like this so much. Just you and me being just you and me. I love it." Jaxon couldn't stop the ear-to-ear smile. "Well here's to having more nights just like this than." Lifting his drink to her. "Cheers to that my dear." She teased him. She like calling people by old lady nicknames and he knew it. Still made him feel special though.
"How's your first week of working going?" He asked taking a bite of his food. "It's going great it took four days to get everything how I want it and now I'm diving head first into the fun stuff." She wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "I'm glad to see you are having fun with it. I was kind of worried you would be struggling with the change." He said but immediately wished he didn't. Stopping from taking in her drink she had s slight ping in her heart.
"Ana I just meant." "It's ok Jaxon I get it. I'm not taking it the wrong way or anything. I know deep down your concerns and worries come from a good place. Don't tip toe around me though alright. This isn't going to work if you get nervous every time we feel like were making a mistake. I know what you mean. I know where you're coming from and I appreciate it form the bottom of my heart I really do."
"Yeah though it will be a bit of challenge and somedays down the road I will be struggling with it. That's my own battle though. You can't really help me with it. The only the thing you can do is just be there and sometimes let me handle it on my own. I will reach out when I need you I promise. Don't start trying to be gentle with my feelings though now Jaxon. Just keep being you." "So it's like the old saying than. Doing what you can to avoid making a mistake could be the biggest mistake of all?" "Kind of yeah. There will be moments like this with me yes."
"I will keep that in mind. It's just I wasn't so much worried about the career shift Ana. I meant being back in the space days on end surrounded by so much of your mom. It's been a long time you know." It dawned on her now it wasn't the job of jobs and friends. He was worried she was still in mourning for her mom like her dad was. Her heart swelled a little feeling touched. Guess mourning never really stops than. For anyone.
"I'm truly fine. I like being surrounded by mom. It's nice. Like old times. I feel like having her surround me in even this way makes me feel like I am well on my way to making the best out of all the work she did and I will do." She said happily cleaning up her area. "I'm happy for you than." They sat there for another hour lost in conversation and laughter. Looking down at the time he felt guilty. Grabbing their things he walked her to the car and opened her door for her.
"Ana." He said softly. "Jaxon she teased him in the same tone. "Can I. Can we tell people that we are together?" "Well that depends. Are we I mean I don't actually remember you asking me to be with you?" Ana faked thinking back with her finger under her chin thinking hard. Blushing and looking down and back up to her again grabbing her hands. "Analeigh Alderman will you please make the happiest man in the world and be my fiancé." Looking at him in shock.
" I really thought you would have went with girlfriend." She chuckled nervously. "Well with our parents and the situation I think the terminology I chose feels more right." He teased but he was right this is what she originally agreed to. "Yes Jaxon I will." The happiness was flowing from him from every angle. Reaching in his pocket he took out the ring he had and slid it on her finger. "Guess you can have this now then."
It was perfect it was a perfect circled diamond on a simple silver band. It wasn't small, it wasn't showy. It was perfect. It matched her down to the very detail. He really did know her better than she thought. "How long have you had this on deck?" She asked nervously. "I actually got it when you graduated school early and went to training." He was a little embarrassed.
"You're telling me you have been holding on to this since we were 16? You've had this for six years Jax?" "I have known you are it for me since we were nine Ana. I always known I would be offering this to you. I was just always hoping you would accept both me and it when the time came. You have no idea how long and much I have been waiting for this moment. I had it planned so differently." Looking down at her hand with the ring shining on it.
"You're right though. This is more us. This is more real and I couldn't be more happier than I am right now. Seeing all my dreams unfold in front of me. I never thought I would be enough for you. You deserve the world Analeigh. I will do everything I can to give it to you. Thank you for making everything I ever wanted a reality. I am sorry I couldn't do the same for you. I will do everything I can to make sure you wake up in the future happy you took the chance on me." He added.
"I know this is nothing I had planned but maybe. Maybe that's a good thing. Whose to say my big plans I had were really meant for me. I have been thinking a lot lately. I had a lot of time to think all of this over before I even got to town. I knew what my situation might look like coming here. I started thinking hard. I came to the conclusion. I no longer have any real plans for myself. I just want to see where life is going to take me. I'm just going to get up do my best and see how far I get. I wasn't expecting you to be so much more into this plan but I think we can be happy this way." Ana told him with a smile.
"Me too. Can I tell people were are together now?" He tilted his head in a cute way. "You can. I uh. I already told the group though." She looked down. "Really? I figured you would. I couldn't have imagined that was going to go well in my favor. I know they are like my brothers too but come on your their little sister they wouldn't even blink to cut me up if they thought you were hurt especially by me." Swinging their joined hands a little. "It went better than you think. They are happy for us."
"Yeah sure they are. Now. How long did that take you to convince them about this?" Jaxon was smarter than he appeared. "Well when they saw how serious I was about being good with this. When they finally believed I wanted to try this with you they hoped right on board. I never done anything like this with anyone I know that neither one of us has ever dated before Jaxon. I just hope you can agree to take things slow with me. I want to give this the real chance."
"You have no idea how much that means to me. I want so badly to kiss you right now. I won't though I know no matter how hard you are trying that is a line I can't cross yet. We'll get there together though in our pace. Text me when you get home?" Nodding her head to him. Hugging him tightly he shut the door for her and watched her drive off. Feeling like the luckiest person in the world. Looking around he noticed a few people who were watching them around the diner. Welp tomorrow is going to be a busy day for wagging tongues. Lost in his thoughts he couldn't stop the happiness taking over. Let the jealous tongues wag. Smiling to himself driving away home to get ready to start his first official day of a happily taken man.
The next day she got to work by 7 in the morning. Walking in to the building. The big sign stared at her. West View Tech. It didn't take long as she walked in for woman to start giving her both jealous and happy looks. People were trying not to get caught staring as whispers and talking was going all around her. "Good morning to you dear sister. Hm you look a little rested. Even glowing a little maybe?" Sienna teased her.
"Huh?" Ana felt lost. "A bunch of people saw you out on a late dinner date with Jaxon last night. Naturally everyone is gossiping and making rumors. You should hear them there are some doosies. The jealous tricks are calling you a slutty little floozy. The ones that are happy are just happy for you. The Jaxon fan club are sad but in the end just want him to be happy. The jealous males are trying to figure out what they are lacking when you are wearing an engagement ring after one week with one of the biggest names to the company." Jace told her simply with amusement in his voice.
"Yeah the jealous fan club are torn because some are just upset they tried for years to get him to look their way and you come in one day and he's off the market." Sienna said laughing. "Oh here's the things you wanted. I also called Hunter he confirmed your math was right." Sienna added. "You asked Hunter about math?" Jace was shocked. "Well you know how good that soldier was in chemistry and I just wanted to check to make sure I wasn't going to shoot past a realistically limit. Now I know I am not. I guess I can go to Lincoln and stuff for that now. I really should be working with other scientist now anyway. At least once in awhile." She said. A little sad.
"You can go to whoever is qualified to help you and should never feel bad. You also should only go to those you trust. Don't feel bad or guilty about that." The voice said behind them. "Well don't you look bright eyed and bushy tailed." Jace teased. "Really man you want to play this game this early?" Jaxon teased his eyes moving to Jace and Sienna. "Nope. I do not. Anyway Congrads to you happy couple we out." Jace said taking Sienna's hand to get her to her office as she just smiled and waved happily away from them.
"Well good morning. You look well rested. Have your ears been burning this morning?" Analeigh asked him in amused voice. "Well I had a great night with a great woman. Now people know for the most part we are off the market. I say it's a great morning." He said taking her hand with her ring and kissing the back of it. "Got to give them something to go off of right? Have a good day. Don't skip your meals. I will text you later. Busy day." Nodding her head she went down to her office after getting a blending mocha from Eddie for emotional support strength from the jealous bitches in his words.
Looking through her formulas she started doing her testing after crawling all over lab she notice little things were not where she had left them. That can't happen though I must be losing my mind. "I am slowly letting things get to me my friend." She spoke loudly to her man on the wall. Losing her balance she fell over. "Ah, crap." She said as she cut herself on another thorn from a near by plant. Looking under it she saw something she has never seen before.
A plant looking beautiful all black with small hints of blue and purple swirls insides. Even the stem was black. There was much of it. How could she not have seen this before. Taking the smallest one she could grab she hurried back to her station where she dug through two different journals of her mother's inventory to identify each plant. Where are you? Ah there you are. Reading the small description she felt even more lost in what it is that so special about this plant. It's not even in the data base.
Whatever this was mom didn't want it to be seen or known. Looking back down she saw the name and one description of it. The Night flower. Life comes when the Night bleeds. Feeling lost and caught up in the plant she now had a feeling that eyes were on her. Looking around the room again she decided to take the flower apart in certain ways and take a deeper look through it. Looking at the picture of her mom smiling to the camera she was now feeling empowered. Alright mom let's see what other secrets you have hidden for me. "This stays just between us my friend." She called to the man on the wall. Not even noticing the room getting colder she got lost in her work. With unblinking eyes on her from every angle.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone