Chapter Five
Naomi

Since trying to talk to the Nova Empire leaders together hasn't given us any results, Kieran and I came up with the idea to talk to the leaders individually. We need to get their side of the story, understand why they think they should rule and the other leaders shouldn't. Maybe we can devise a plan from the information we acquire from these one on one discussions.

We're starting with the Krylorian leader. We have just arrived at the Krylorian palace and have found the leader in the palace gardens, his hands clasped behind his back as he strolls down the winding paths. When I ask him if he's willing to discuss the issues we are tackling privately, he agrees, but only on the condition that Kieran not be present.

"I will not be in the same room as that criminal," He states aggressively, his purple eyes seeming to darken as his eyes fall onto Kieran, who is standing right behind me. "She has spilled Krylorian blood several times, she is one of the Kree's favorite instruments of destruction. Get her out of my sight."

As I'm about to open my mouth to object, Kieran places her hand on my arm, tugging me backwards. She puts some distance between us and him, and lowers her voice before saying:

"Don't fight with him on my behalf, it's not worth it. You need information from him, so accept his condition. It's okay."

"It's not okay, not at all," I hiss, trying my best to keep my voice down while still getting my point across. "Soroya sent you here to help me get Earth allies, we are a team, we are supposed to do this together."

"Director Roberts sent me here with you because I understand how the different galaxies and planets operate. I was never meant to handle politics or negotiations or treaties. You are the ambassador, not me."

I know she's right. Kieran has traveled all around the universe, has over two hundred years of experience with customs and politics of alien planets, and that knowledge is valuable to me as Earth's ambassador. Soroya herself even said that. I know that I'm the one who will do the political debating and negotiating on these missions. I know she's here to assist and guide me through life in space. I want her to stay by my side during this meeting and the others because I want everyone to see that she isn't the monster they think she is, that they don't really know her. I want people to see the real her. But Kieran's right, it's more important that we get the information we need. So I nod, though I still want to fight against what the Krylorian leader said about her. I think Kieran can see that, because she smiles, her dimples showing.

"I appreciate your attempts to change my reputation, Princess, but your efforts won't amount to anything, and that's not your fault, it's mine," Kieran finally lets go of my arm, taking a step backwards from me, her cloak swishing around her ankles, her hand resting comfortably on the hilt of her sword. "I'll make myself scarce, watch from the shadows, make sure you're alright."

"I can protect myself." I assure her, opening my palm and watching flames dance in the air above it, swirling around my fingers.

Kieran is still smiling, even as she looks at the flames, the fire I created. Most people are afraid when they see what power I possess, what I can do. She doesn't look afraid at all. She looks mesmerized.

"I know you can, but you've never fought alien species before, and the Krylorians are amongst the fiercest of warriors in this galaxy," Kieran taps the tilt of her sword. "I can put my experience as an assassin to good use as your bodyguard on these missions."

I can't fight the smile that starts to spread on my lips. "I don't need a bodyguard."

"Every princess needs a bodyguard." She says, and then with another flash of her smile, she disappears down another one of the garden's paths.

I try my best to wipe the smile off my face as I go back over to the Krylorian leader, who is waiting impatiently. The Krylorians have the same purple eyes as the Kree do, but instead of blue skin, the Krylorians' skin is a deep pink. Another similarity between the Krylorians and the Kree are their beauty. Most extraterrestrial species I've seen have an ethereal beauty: the way they move, the way they speak, it's enchanting. It's no wonder to me why humans in ancient times believed species like the Asgardians to be gods.

The flowers growing in this garden are a similar shade of pink to the Krylorians, and when the leader catches me staring at them, he informs me: "We call them the hearts of Krylor. Legend has it that when the first Krylorian king died, his queen carved his heart out and buried it in the ground outside this very palace. From his heart grew a garden of these flowers."

"They're beautiful," I respond with a smile. "I did not know that Krylor used to be ruled by a monarchy."

"Most planets in the Empire did. Many centuries ago a war erupted in this galaxy, not unlike the one brewing now. Each planet wanted power, and it was the queen of Xandar who proposed demolishing the monarchies and creating an empire of equality."

"You could be an empire of equality again."

"These are matters you don't understand, Ambassador, and you never could."

"Because I'm a human?"

"The other leaders may hold that against you, but I do not," He assures me, the ghost of a smile appearing on his lips, and then vanishing. "I know first hand how intelligent and resilient the human race is."

"May I ask why?"

He stops walking, bending down to pick one of the flowers, bringing it up to his nose. "Over a century and a half ago I fell in love with a human. He had been taken from Earth in his youth and raised here on Krylor by a ship maker. He and his employer sold me a ship when I first became lord of Krylor. I bought over a dozen ships after that first meeting, all so I could see him."

"What happened?" I ask quietly, staring as intently at the flower as he is.

"He was human, a mortal. He died of old age," the lord says sadly, twirling the stem of the flower in between his fingers. "But before that, we spent many happy decades together. So no, Ambassador, my belief in your inability to understand how our affairs work has nothing to do with your species. It comes from your inexperience."

"In what regard?"

"In many regards. Your inexperience in space, in the Nova Empire, in being an ambassador, and in leadership."

I gawk at the lord. "I was the leader of the F.E.P for over two decades and was representative of the enhanced people on the World Security Council on Earth. Sure I haven't been an ambassador long, but I was named one because I convinced the Skrulls to lend Earth aid. I have plenty of experience as a leader, my lord."

"I would hardly call leading a rebellion and being a spokesman being a leader."

"And what would you call being a leader?"

He ponders my question for a moment before replying: "A leader seeks power to help those how need it, not for themselves. That is the precise reason why I don't want leadership to fall into the hands of one of the other planet's leaders. As soon as Xandar was destroyed they started fighting for power. They only care about themselves, not their people. If I were to gain power I would use it to help rebuild our empire, not further it into chaos."

"I understands, sir. I understand why you would hesitate to see my value as a leader. Rebels are often seen as radicals not rational leaders, but I assure you that my rebel past was driven by selflessness not hunger for power. The ones who were power hungry were Earth's leaders. They didn't care about their people's safety or wellbeing, especially not people with powers. I formed a rebellion to stop the enhanced people, and all other people, from being harmed by their hands. If a leader seeks to harm those they are sworn to protect, then they are no leader worth following. Sometimes rebellion is necessary to expose a leader's true colors and put an end to their rule. The enhanced people are safe and comfortable now thanks to my efforts, as are the Skrulls. All I want is the same for your people and others who live in the Nova Empire. That's why I'm here. I want what you want, my lord: to rebuild, to heal. Allow me the chance to prove my sincerity and prove that banding together is a better option than falling further apart."

The lord of Krylor stares at me for a long moment, and then slowly, he extends his hand out to me, offering me the flower he's been holding onto. "I can now see why the Skrulls agreed to assist Earth. You are a very persuasive speaker."

I accept the flower, nodding my head to him in thanks. "So you will listen to what I have to say?"

"I will," He assures me, resuming his pace through the garden's path, me falling into step behind him. "But I can't say the same of the other leaders. If your goal is unity, I doubt they will listen to you, especially because you're a human."

"You said yourself I am very persuasive."

"I did and it's a good thing you are, Ambassador. What you're trying to do here is quite ambitious and will give you much hardship. You'll need some persuasion if you're going to succeed."

"I will succeed." I assure him, bringing the flower up to my nose, using it to hide the smile curving onto my lips.

-

Liam

We had another shifting training session during lunch today. It went about as well as yesterday. Jo told him to shift into a tiger, and as soon as he tried to run, he fell. Analiese told him during his check up yesterday to take things easy, but if anything, that warning has made him push himself even harder. He didn't even try walking, he just kept running and falling. It took him half an hour to get from the treehouse, to the tree line, and then back.

He said he needed some time alone after we finished and ran off. He never came back to school. I've just gotten home now and found him in his room, his stereo blasting music so loud the furniture is vibrating. He's painting a tiger running through a green field, and he's doing this task rather aggressively. He's about two seconds away from slicing through the canvas with his brush. I walk over to the stereo and turn it off, watching him tense up. I think he was so focused painting he didn't even sense me come in.

"It will get better, Stevie." I murmur, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"You don't know that," Stevie whispers, stepping back from his painting, finally looking at me. His eyes are puffy, his cheeks flushed. He's been crying. "I'll never be the same again, Lee. I can't be. And I'm not just talking about my leg."

I watch as he sits on the opposite side of the bed, his eyes returning to the painting, his body beginning to shake. When he speaks again, his voice sounds small. "I can't sleep because every time I shut my eyes I see the Kree soldiers I killed. I can't eat because every time food is put in front of me all I smell is blood from the battle. I played the music so loud because I literally can't stop hearing the screams of people dying. Every waking moment all I can think about is the Kree accuser. I can't get him out of my head. He's always there. His amethyst eyes, his rage, his joy when he destroyed my leg. It's imbedded in my brain."

I reach over and place my hand on his shoulder, my voice just as small as I confess: "Me too."

Stevie looks at me over his shoulder. "Really?"

I nod. "I've noticed you haven't been sleeping because I haven't either. When I do sleep, I have horrific nightmares. The screams, the blood, the death. It's with me everywhere I go. The Kree accuser most of all. Every nightmare, every thought, every minute, every second...all I see is him standing over you, your leg shattered, your screams, his hammer...there are dreams I have where the accuser killed you, where I was too late to save you, where I failed you. Then I wake up with you by my side, and I see that you're being tortured with the same nightmares, and the misery begins all over again."

Stevie is quiet for a moment before whispering: "I killed forty three soldiers. Some of them probably had families, spouses, children... How can you stand to be near me? You watched me rip Kree soldier's throats out, watched me scratch and bite them, impale them, trample them. How can you sleep with a murderer?"

"You're not a murderer—"

He shoves my hand off of his shoulder. "I know I've been going through a lot, but I don't want you to stay with me out of pity."

"What are you talking about?"

"You said that in Hinduism, bad actions, especially harm to others, taints the soul and messes with the cycle of reincarnation. If you want to reconnect with Shiva in the afterlife, if you don't want to spend years in Naraka having your soul cleansed of evil, I suggest not dating a murderer. You value human life, Lee. I took forty three human lives. You shouldn't be with me."

I blink at him. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"I just assumed you would want that, so this is me telling you that I understand if you do."

"Babe, look at me right now," I demand, and after a second, he does. "You aren't a murderer. You did what you had to do, just like everyone else on that battlefield did. You are a good person, the best person I've ever met actually. Don't for one second believe otherwise."

"Lee—"

"You really thought I was staying with you out of pity? How could you think that? I love you. I'll always love you. I knew that from the second you got hurt, when I almost lost you. And even if you're right, which you're not, and being with you will send me to Naraka, then I don't care. I'd gladly spend years in Naraka being punished, getting my soul cleansed and get reincarnated as a bug instead of a human if it means being with you."

Stevie just stares at me, his expression unreadable. Tears are brimming his eyes, but they don't fall. After I realize he won't talk, I reach forward and grab his hand, saying softly: "You can never be the same person, neither can I. How could we? We've been through too much. But you ask how I know things will get better? I know because you are the one who taught me to have hope, to believe. You changed my life, and you're going to change so many more lives as an Avenger. It will still happen, we will graduate, we will become Avengers, we will move on, we will get through this. I know this because I believe in us, I believe in you."

I sit up from the bed and go across the hall to my own bedroom, grabbing my guitar and pic. When I return, Stevie is still staring at me, tears still in his eyes. He doesn't say anything as I sit back down, propping the guitar on my lap. I explain: "I had to practice when you were out of the house so I could keep it a surprise. I was going to wait until your birthday, but I think now is a good time to do this."

As I begin strumming the strings, I'm hit with the sudden realization that I'm about to sing and he's never heard me sing before. Gwen used to tell me I had a nice voice, and she wouldn't lie about something like that, but I still feel a little self conscious. But this isn't about me, it's about him. With a short exhale, I push past my nerves and begin to sing the song:

"Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world, I'm on my knees in fascination, looking through the night. And the moon's never seen me before, but I'm reflecting light. I rode the pain down, got off and looked up, looked into your eyes. The lost open windows, all around my dark heart lit up the skies. Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world, I'm on my knees in fascination, looking through the night. And the moon's never seen me before, but I'm reflecting light."

I stop singing and continue strumming the guitar, unable to look at him as I do so. When the solo guitar section of the song is over, I resume singing the final lines:

"Give up the ground under your feet, hold on to nothing for good. Turn and run at the mean dogs chasing you, stand-alone and misunderstood. Now that I've worn out, I've worn out the world, I'm on my knees in fascination, looking through the night. And the moon's never seen me before, but I'm reflecting light."

I strum the last few chords and then stop, gripping onto my pic rather tightly. I force myself to look at Stevie and find his cheeks wet with tears, a large smile on his face, his eyes staring into mine with such affection and warmth it makes me let out a sigh of relief.

"I was all alone, Stevie. For a very long time. I was angry and cynical and felt like no one could love me. You changed that. You made me feel seen, made me feel loved and safe. I had disconnected myself from everyone, from myself, even from Shiva. But you put hope back into my life, you made me believe in people again, in the good in the world, in love. You really think being with you condemns me to Naraka? You didn't condemn my soul, Steven Barnes, you saved it."

Stevie lets out a soft laugh, wiping his eyes. "You sound like Zayn Malik."

My nerves return instantly. "Is that bad?"

He shakes his head adamantly, laughing again. "Zayn has always been my favorite One Direction member."

"Eh, I'm more of a Harry Styles man myself."

Stevie smiles, wiping his eyes again. He then stands up and walks over towards me. I place the guitar and pic down and watch him sit down on my lap, locking his arms around my neck. I do the same around his waist, more than pleased when he brushes his lips with mine, but disappointed when he pulls back after only a few seconds.

"That song was beautiful." He tells me softly.

"I came across it when I was trying to find a song to do for your birthday. I heard that one and felt like it fit us perfectly."

"I'm glad you're not going to break up with me." His voice drops to a whisper, his lashes fluttering against his wet cheeks.

"You were stupid to think I was even considering it."

"All the things you said...it was the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

I shrug, the corner of my mouth perking up. "I was just being honest."

"I really want to say something romantic back but I have no clue what. My brain is only coming up with movie quotes and I feel like after all you said I should be original. You literally said I saved your soul and all I can think to say is 'you complete me'."

I try to stifle a chuckle, tightening my grip on his waist. "That's cute."

"I'm just going to go for it," Stevie announces, taking a deep breath and then continuing: "I'm not okay right now, but neither are you, and somehow that makes not being okay okay. It will take me a little while to start giving hope speeches again and not think of myself as a murderer, but I know I can get through this because I have you, because I love you. And I promise to tell you that at least three times a day from now on, that way I can make up for not giving a really romantic speech like you did."

"I thought that was pretty romantic."

"I'm still going to hold myself to three love decelerations a day."

"I'm good with that."

"Yeah?" Stevie says, grinning from ear to ear.

I nod once. "Yeah." Then I capture his lips with mine, and this time it isn't soft or brief. He kisses me just like he did the night before the battle, like we could both die tomorrow. In our kinda life, that very well could be possible. I kiss him back with as much ferocity and enthusiasm, especially as we fall backwards onto the bed, nearly crushing my guitar in the progress. This throws us into a fit of laughter, and we stay like that for a long time: lying in each other's arms, kissing, laughing, enjoying this small bubble of peace we've made for ourselves after weeks of torment.