Misty

I couldn't sleep late while staying at the beach house. There's something about watching the sunrise on the beach. I brewed a coffee and took it outside. I found a spot on the beach and drank coffee while watching the sunrise.

I glanced around to see a deserted beach, giving it a peacefulness. Eventually, people would fill the beach. Until then, I'll enjoy the peace. Well, that was until Noah joined me.

"What are you doing up?" I asked.

Noah sipped his coffee. "I blame my parents for getting me up before the roosters."

I giggled.

"It surprises me Nash isn't out here with you." Noah glanced around, not seeing Nash with me.

"Nash is still sleeping. I came out here to enjoy the peace." I curled my legs underneath each other and sipped my coffee.

"I'm glad you and Nash found your way back together."

"You are?" I lifted my brow.

Noah nodded. "Nash seemed lost without you. He was waiting for you to remember him."

"My memories were a mess for a long time. I couldn't understand why I was acting one way with everyone. It had confused and frustrated me."

"I get that. We had lived one life and returned to this new life. It would have confused anyone."

I nodded. "I'm glad it all worked out, though."

"So am I. Don't tell the others, but you were my favorite sister-in-law."

"I'm sorry that I tried to take out your boys."

Noah arched his brow. "Next time, use Nathan as target practice."

I laughed. Noah wrapped his arm around my shoulder and hugged me.

"Are you trying to steal my girl?" Nash asked behind us.

Noah dropped his arm from me and glanced at Nash. "No one can steal Maggie from you."

Nash walked over and sat beside me with a cup of coffee.

"I figured you would still be sleeping," I said.

Nash shook his head. "I couldn't sleep."

"Really?"

Nash nodded. "I sleep better with you next to me."

"You'll need to suck it up when we go home for the summer." I smirked.

"Oh, hell no." Nash wrapped his arm around my shoulders and tugged me to him.

Noah and I laughed. At least Nash was giving us grief.

******
Valentino

Since the three of us were up, we finished our coffee before heading inside to make breakfast. Noah cut up fruit while I whipped up pancakes and bacon for everyone. Mags grabbed the syrup, butter, and jelly from the fridge and carried them outside before returning for the plates. She set them and silverware on the counter for everyone.

Uncle Rafe and Aunt Reese came in from outside dressed in shorts, tank tops, and running shoes.

"Did you need any help?" Uncle Rafe asked us.

"Can you rally the troops?" I asked.

"Yeah, we can do that." He and Aunt Reese left the kitchen to wake the others.

I flipped the pancakes and let them cook before placing them on a plate. I turned the bacon so it didn't burn. It wasn't long before we heard movement from upstairs when Uncle Rafe and Aunt Reese said I was making pancakes.

After making plain pancakes, I made blueberry and chocolate chip. We kept brewing coffee for everyone. Mags grabbed the orange juice and placed it on the counter. Everyone lined up with a plate and silverware. I placed pancakes and bacon on it before they left the kitchen. It was like an assembly line. It's better than having everyone trample you.

Once everyone had their food, we sat outside and ate breakfast. It was the first full day of spring break, so we might as well start it off right.

*******
Misty

Here's what everyone needs to know. To keep the troops happy, you need to feed them. With all the activities we had going on this week, we would work up an appetite. It didn't help that Nash's energy was increasing daily. He was eating twice as much as the rest of us.

When he walked by an outlet, he absorbed the electricity. Romeo and Rafe had to put in those childproof plugs to prevent a surge. I didn't need to explain to my dad why I needed another phone. I've been there, done that.

To keep Nash from blowing up the appliances, we found ways for him to expend energy. 

Rafe and Reese took Nash running in the morning to burn energy. We played volleyball and swam, which helped to a point. Nixon, being the smartass he is, bought clay targets for skeet practice and threw them at Nash. Nash blew the targets into pieces before they hit him.

Nathan and Noah searched the internet for an answer to Nash's little problem. Apparently, no one could explain this phenomenon. They weren't the only ones.

*******
Preston

I FaceTime Castiel to get an insight into Nash's growing problem since the internet sucks. It has answers for everything except our current issue.

Castiel answered after three rings. "Nixon, shouldn't you be relaxing on a beach?"

"I would if my cousin would stop drawing electricity from outlets. My uncles had to put in childproof plugs to stop Nash. We checked message boards and the internet. No one can give us an explanation for what's happening."

"You won't find the answer there."

"Okay, so help me."

"You must rely on your theology training to get the answer."

"Could you elaborate since I'm unsure which direction I'm heading?"

"He is testing you. He wants you to understand the lesson. How do you know you understand the lesson?"

"The teacher tests you."

"Correct." Castiel nodded. "Up until now, He has been teaching you lessons. Now He's testing you. Everything that has happened is leading to what's coming."

"What's coming?"

Castiel shook his head. "I can't tell you since He hasn't told me. All I can tell you is they're on the right path. Stay the course, Nixon, and rely on your training. I need to go." He cut the call, making me furrow my brows.

I slipped my phone into my shorts and searched the house for a Bible. I needed to check on something. I found a Bible in a drawer and flipped through it until I read a passage with one phrase that stuck out to me as a chill ran down my body.

Trust in God

******
Valentino

I know everyone wants to figure out why my energy has increased. I didn't want to focus on that or demons. I wanted to focus on Mags. I couldn't do that if everyone kept trying to figure out what was happening to me.

I sat on the deck and looked at the water, trying to clear my mind.

Uncle Romeo sat down beside me. "How come you're all here by your lonesome?"

"I needed a break from all things demon." I glanced at Uncle Romeo, brow arched.

Uncle Romeo chuckled, nodding. "I can see how that would hinder your fun."

"I understand I would have challenges when I returned. But I want to enjoy my life, not worry constantly about something trying to kill us."

Uncle Romeo looked at the water, hands clasped between his legs. "It's always calm before the storm."

"What?" I looked at Uncle Romeo, brows pinched.

Uncle Romeo looked at me. "It was calm before several of us got caught in the explosion. It taught us nothing is guaranteed in this life. It's how we live it that makes the difference. Let me ask you something."

"What?"

"Are you the one watching the storm, or are you the storm?"

I gazed at Uncle Romeo and contemplated what he said.

"Don't tell others how big your storm is. Tell them you're the storm," a voice said behind us.

We turned our heads to see Nix standing behind us.

He walked past us, stepped off the deck, and paced before us. "I couldn't figure it out. Castile kept telling me to rely on my training. We've been checking the wrong sources."

"You're making any sense, Nix." I shook my head in confusion.

Nix stopped and faced me. "The Bible had the answer all along."

I squinted my eyes and pinched my brows.

"Trust in God." Nix walked toward me. "That's what we haven't been doing. We haven't trusted God to show us the way. Nash, a storm is coming, and Oakridge is directly in its path."

Uncle Romeo furrowed his brows.

"Nash, you are the storm."

What happens when something goes after someone close to you? You erupt.

A storm was brewing inside me, and it would explode. Nix was right. I was the storm.

Buckle up. The final chapter is next, and it's a doozy.