~ PANDORA

Pandora slowly slipped back to consciousness. She was in a bed with a blanket up to her chest. Not able to feel much pain, or anything really, Pandora groaned anyway. She just didn't feel right. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Rose?" she called.

"She stirs," said someone in an excited whisper.

A hand gently touched her shoulder. "Pandora, can you hear me?"

Turning towards the sound, Pandora slowly stretched out her back muscles. "Howard, why are you in my room?"

"Open your eyes, Pandora," he said calmly. "You are not at home. Remember, you? What happened?"

"Yeah," she grumbled. She blinked a few times before looking around the room. Howard, Luxa, and Gregor stood around the cot she was laying in. Pandora instantly recognized the plain white walls. She was in the hospital. "I was a human shish kebab."

"Ke-bab?" Luxa asked.

"It's what we call food if you put it on a stick and then cook it," Gregor clarified.

"How fare you?" Howard asked.

"Grouchy... but on the bright side, I don't feel the hole in my chest. That's good, I guess. How did my surgery go?"

"It was long," Howard started with a professional tone. As he got further into the details, his voice became tight and his eyes got glassy with tears. "There were a few complications, but everything seems to be headed in the right direction. It pierced your lung, and you lost a lot of blood."

"Point being," Gregor interjected. "You got through it like a champ. The doctors have kept you asleep for a few days to make sure your body got the rest and healing it needed."

"Okay," Pandora said slowly. "So now I just lay here and do what the doctors say until I can get up and get out of here?"

"I would not say it is that simple," Howard warned.

"I think I've had as much of that topic as I can stomach for now," Pandora said. "You three are here with me. Let's make the most of it. Am I allowed to eat?"

"Something small," Howard nodded, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "I'm a doctor, so listen to what I have to say."

"Anything," she begged. "My mouth is so dry. It's like sawdust."

"Oh, here," Gregor offered her a glass of water that was on the small table beside her bed. Howard left the room to retrieve her snack.

Pandora took a few gulps. She liked how the water cooled her dry, cracked lips.

Gregor offered the seat on Pandora's left to Luxa. When she refused, he sat down. "You know what sounds great right now?" He asked. Pandora shook her head. "A can of root beer," he said with a dreamy look on his face, as if imagining hearing the "pop!" of the ice cold can and feeling the bubbles on his lips as he took a swig.

Pandora tried to take in a deep breath to sigh, but her chest was constricted. Most of it had to be the bandage that covered her upper torso, but perhaps some resistance came from her healing lung. She couldn't tell. She must've been on some strong pain medication.

"Yeah. That would be amazing right now."

"I remember how that tasted," Luxa said, staring off into the distance as if lost in thought. "I'm not as fond of sweet things. It was sweeter than cake."

Howard came back in the room with a small bowl and a spoon. Fishing her hands out of the blankets, Pandora tried to push herself up to a sitting position, but her arms weren't able to lift her body. Gregor and Howard each took one of her arms and helped her sit straighter. Luxa fluffed the pillows behind her.

Accepting the bowl from Howard, Pandora picked up the spoon eagerly and looked down at her snack. It was some sort of pudding. Pandora didn't know what kind, but she was sure of one thing.

"I wish this was chocolate," she grumbled.

"What is that?" Howard asked.

"We pick beans off a certain plant. And we cook them, turn them into mush, and use it to flavor things." Pandora took a spoonful of pudding and put it in her mouth. She tried to refrain from making a sour face when it didn't taste the way she expected it to. "Like pudding. Or desserts."

"It's sweet. Like root beer," Gregor added to help explain the flavor profile of chocolate.

Pandora swirled her snack around with her spoon and frowned into it. "I wish Rose were here. Whenever I felt sick, she would make the most amazing soups. And when I was in the hospital having tests done, she would always come with me for support. I miss her."

Gregor gave her a sad smile. "I miss my family, too. When we ever got sick, my mom always knew what we needed before we even asked for it."

"Do you think its daytime or nighttime up there, right now?" Pandora looked up at the ceiling as if she could look through miles of dirt and stone to see the Earth's sky.

Gregor just shrugged.

"Is the sky really blue?" Luxa blurted, curiosity glimmering in her eyes.

"In the daytime, yes," Pandora said with a nod. "A big, bright ball of fire high in the sky lights up everything. You can see for miles and miles. And the sky is blue. At night, a smaller, less bright ball in the sky lights things up, but not as well."

"The moon," Howard identified it.

"Yeah. And the sky is dark. Except for the stars, sometimes," Gregor said.

"I loved the stars," Pandora said with a smile. She took a bite of her pudding, more so because she was hungry than because she liked the taste. "I liked figuring out where the constellations were. An Ancient Greek astronomer called Ptolemy mapped out some stars and created pictures out of them, called constellations," she shared. "It's fun to find them and remember the stories that they're famous for. Hercules. Andromeda."

"Orion," Gregor interjected with an eager smile. Pandora smiled back.

"I remember seeing the stars. They were hard to see at first. There are so many lights in New York City," Howard said.

"Wait, wait, wait," Gregor said, his brow furrowing. "You went up to New York City?"

Howard nodded. "Pandora took me on a short tour. There were machines called cars. And so many lights. And so many tastes."

"Bagels, ice cream," Pandora listed.

"And pizza. I liked the pizza very much," Howard added.

Luxa had been lost in thought for most of the conversation. "I remember the stars," she said quietly. The others went silent.

"Oh yeah," Gregor said. "When you went with me to the entrance at Central Park. When I... when I went home for the last time."

The group was silent for a moment except for Pandora's spoon scraping the bottom of her bowl. She tried to finish the pudding as fast as she could. It wasn't that she hated the way it tasted, it was just not what she was in the mood for. When you were on a strict diet in the hospital, however, there wasn't much room for special dining requests.

"Thank you, Howard, for the snack," Pandora finally said, holding out her dirty dishes.

"I am glad to see you are eating," he responded. "It is a sign that you are healing well."

As he started to leave the room, Pandora spoke up. "Howard, would you mind getting me another blanket? I'm starting to get chilly."

"Of course," he said patiently. A second after he vanished from the doorway, he poked his head back inside. "It looks like you have more company."

Nerissa shooed him aside and entered the room, holding two books in her hands. Pandora recognized them as her journals.

"It's so good to see you," Pandora greeted her with a smile.

Nerissa placed the books down on the small table and took a seat at Pandora's right-hand side. "I sensed you would pull through," she said, holding both Pandora's hands in hers.

"I'm glad you're here. I've had so many strange dreams while I was asleep all this time. I don't think I can remember all the details!"

Nerissa quickly picked up one of the books and flipped to an empty page, picking up the pen Pandora kept attached to the spiral. "We must act quickly, then. Luxa, Gregor, if you excuse us, we have some important work to do."

Pandora gave her friends a smile and wave as they left the room.

"Tell me everything you remember," Nerissa said excitedly. She fumbled with the top of the pen, clicking it to reveal the tip. It must have been so different from a quill and bottle of ink.

"Well, it all started with a boat made from bones, animal skin, and tailfins..."

***

~ GREGOR

Gregor twiddled his thumbs in the luxury room. He had just eaten some dinner and didn't know what to do before bed... besides think.

"Ah, Gregor," came a warm voice from the curtained entrance.

"Hey, Vikus," Gregor greeted.

"Alone with your thoughts?"

"Yeah."

"Would you like some company?"

"I'd love some," Gregor replied. He waited for the old man to walk over to the couch, leaning heavily on his cane. He turned his body so he was facing Gregor and gave him a lopsided smile. "Pandora woke up today."

"How does she fare?"

"She seems fine," Gregor answered. "Still has her personality, at least. She ate some pudding. Howard said it's a good sign that she's eating."

Vikus nodded. "I see your mind is elsewhere. What're you thinking about?"

Gregor looked at Vikus questioningly. The old man looked into his eyes and Gregor could tell he could read so much about an individual just by looking into their face.

"Well," said Gregor truthfully. "I... I was thinking about what I'm supposed to do now. I mean, the war is over. Everyone calls me the warrior. But there's nothing left to fight. I want to do some good. I want to be of some use. But... but what if ragers are only good for fighting?"

Vikus leaned back and took a deep breath in. "I feel as though someone else's words resonate within your thoughts," he said wisely. "When it comes to fighting, Ripred may be the best. But there are many things he does that make him a useful ally. Did you think Luxa bonded with him only because of his fighting abilities?"

"Well, no..."

"Or what of Mareth? He is the general of Regalia's army, yes, but do you think war is the only thing he thinks about? That he plans for?"

"No," Gregor said with certainty. "He planned the city clean-up. He fixed the palace's overcrowding."

"And he's working on a new peace treaty with the stingers," Vikus added.

"You're right, Vikus. I should keep my mind open. Titles really are only for show," Gregor said. "You introduce yourself like that once to sound cool, sure, but it's your actions and your intentions that make you who you are."

"Are you only a warrior, Gregor?" Vikus asked.

"No," Gregor said immediately. "I helped clean up the city. I was there for every soldier's funeral. I hope Howard knows I was there to support him when he needed help. And that Pandora knows I visited her every day."

"You have spread your light around this land faster and greater than anyone I have seen," Vikus complimented. "And, if you don't mind me mentioning, there are a few positions open in Regalia's army." Gregor waited patiently as the man continued. "You see, Mareth is looking for some brave souls who can take on the challenge of reestablishing the Fount. So much of it was destroyed by the earthquake. Some parts are still underwater. He needs a team dedicated to the betterment of the Underland creatures who would be willing to travel there and come up with a plan to rebuild."

"Really?" Gregor asked.

Vikus nodded. "If you're up for the challenge, you should talk to General Mareth. You would carry my blessing. I couldn't imagine he would pick someone else over you."

"Thanks, Vikus," he answered with a smile. "But I... I was having some second thoughts about staying. Here. In the Underland."

"Oh?"

"I feel like I've learned enough about myself that I would be able to live a life outside of the Underland. See my sisters again... maybe go to college."

"I see," Vikus said, eyebrows raising as he looked off into the distance.

"I mean... I'm only eighteen. I don't know if I'm ready to break away from my family. To start a life on my own."

"Acknowledging when you are not ready for something shows wisdom beyond your years," Vikus commended. "Your decision will be a difficult one, Gregor. Take some time. Talk to Mareth. Talk to anyone you need. Know you, that I will always be here to give you council as long as I still have time."

"Thank you, Vikus."

***

A few days later, Gregor told himself he had to visit Pandora in the hospital before bed. He had been busy the past few days. He had a nice, long talk with Mareth. They discussed the rebuilding of the Fount and what the Regalian army did when there wasn't a war to be fought. It all sounded wonderful, but he wasn't fully convinced.

Mareth had given him many jobs to do around the city. It seemed to Gregor to be a long, drawn-out interview for an official position within the army. He was the warrior, that may have been true, but that was never a title held in Regalia's ranks. He had simply been a beacon of hope, an extra pair of hands, more similar to a mercenary than a lieutenant.

Who was he kidding? He was only eighteen! There was no way Mareth would make him a lieutenant. How could he possibly compete with the great courage and smart thinking of the other lieutenants, especially Perdita?

Gregor rounded the hospital hallway, thinking about how he should find some time to talk to Perdita about his recent predicament as he walked down to where Pandora's private room was. The hospital was still quite full of soldiers on the mend, and many had to share a room with one or even two. However, the Underlanders tried to keep Pandora as comfortable as possible - a room at the end of the hall all to herself, and since Howard was part of the trained medical staff, they didn't seem to care that he sat in her room 24/7. It probably made it easier on them, knowing someone had an eye on Pandora and could get her whatever she needed exactly when she needed it.

Gregor peeked through the entry way and knocked on the wall, waiting politely to be invited in. Pandora was awake, and it seemed she had just finished eating a meal. Unsurprisingly, Howard was sitting right next to her.

"Hi," Pandora greeted.

"Hey," Gregor said. "I'm glad you're up. How're you feeling?"

"Just peachy. Like the fruit," Pandora said matter-of-factly. She turned to Howard and said, "but I didn't get any for lunch."

"You should keep this on your forehead," Howard advised. He helped Pandora sit back just enough to rest a cold compress on her forehead without it sliding off. "She's got a high fever, Gregor, so she's having some trouble forming coherent sentences. It was worse earlier today, but I think her temperature is coming back down."

"Well that's a good thing," Gregor said. Pandora motioned for him to take the chair on the other side of her bed.

"I'm sorry to ask you this, Gregor, but would it be possible to keep your visit brief? I'd like her to get more rest if she is to break this fever."

"Oh, yeah Howard. Sure thing," he answered. He understood hospital protocol more than most, what with his father's poor health. What most patients needed was rest for their bodies to target what needed healing. "I'll be short. I promise."

Howard smiled. "I'll just be down the hall if you need me." He took the uneaten food out with him, leaving the half-drunken glass of water behind.

"His hair is getting kinda long," Gregor mentioned. "I think it looks better that way. What do you think?"

Pandora shrugged in response. She gave him a small smile.

Gregor was silent for a minute. He leaned forward in his chair and twiddled his thumbs. "I thought I'd swing by for a second. I wanted to get something off my chest and... we'll, you're the only other Overlander here so I thought it'd be best if I talked it out with you," Gregor offered.

"I'm a whole ear, Gregor. You tell me anything," Pandora said. Her eyes were a bit glassy, and her cheeks were red. Gregor remembered all the times his dad had a high fever. Once, his temperature had been over 104 degrees, and he spoke utter nonsense. Afterwards, he said it had made sense to him, but it took some effort to put his feelings into words. Perhaps that was what Pandora was experiencing.

"You know what I miss the most?" Gregor asked. "More than the sun, or the blue sky... you know, the obvious stuff? I miss my sisters. My mom and dad for sure, don't get me wrong. But I definitely miss Boots' antics. And Lizzie's genius. You know she was doing a higher-level math than I was? She almost won the science fair last year. My dad was so proud. He helped her as best he could, and she took his suggestions and ran with it. Her project won at our school, at regionals too, and was entered into the state science fair. If she doesn't win next year, there's a problem," Gregor said with a chuckle.

"I wonder how long it will take them before they realize that I'm not coming back," he continued. "I'm not at some fancy college. I didn't get a scholarship. I won't come home on Thanksgiving or come through the door holding presents on Christmas Day. Do you think my parents would come up with a decent lie for me?"

Pandora just stared at Gregor. She seemed to be concentrating. Gregor waited patiently for her reply. "Mail them."

"Mail? And tell them what? That I'm back here in the Underland? Telling them I'm not coming back... I don't think I could do it."

"Write whatever you want," Pandora said excitedly. "You can say you're an astronaut and you're heading to Venus. Or you can fly now so you're gonna wash all the windows in Manhattan. Then... then fold up the letter and have Nike fly it to Virginia. It can be night so no one will know. And she'll leave the note on the front doorstep." Pandora brought an arm up and made it look like she was holding a piece of paper in her hands. "Ploop!" She put her arm close to the blanket, opened her hand to drop the letter, and then lifted her arm away.

"Those are some good stories," Gregor said with a laugh. "But I'll come up with my own to tell. Thanks for the advice."

Gregor stood and walked towards the door. "I've gotta go. I promised Howard I wouldn't stay long so you can get some more sleep."

Pandora rolled her eyes. "Sleep, sleep, sleep. If I keep this up, I'll get enough sleep for everyone in the whole world. Why can't they just sleep for themselves?"

Her answer made a half smile creep up Gregor's face. She was obviously getting a bit antsy from being confined to the bed.

"Before I go," Gregor added. "Do you mind keeping this to yourself for a while?"

"I'm gonna be asleep, Gregor. Who am I gonna tell?"

"Ok, ok. Well... now that I'm in more control of my rager sense, I've been on the fence on whether I actually want to stay in the Underland. It's... it's a really hard decision. I love my sisters so much. I love my whole family! But there's so much here in the Underland that I love, too."

"Luxa?" Pandora chimed in.

"Yeah," Gregor said honestly. "And I feel like, no matter where I choose, someone's gonna end up with a broken heart."

"That's a tough one," Pandora said. Her mouth was a tight line and she raised her eyebrows. "You should sleep on it," she said with an ironic tone. "I can sleep on it too if you want me to."

"Yeah, Pandora, that would be nice," Gregor said. "Sleep tight."

"Bye, Gregor. Thanks for sitting in my chair and saying some words."

"Keep that cloth on your head," Gregor reminded her, raising an arm and pointing at her.

Pandora very seriously raised an arm slightly and pointed at him in return. With her other hand, she straightened out the cloth and raised it a little higher on her head.

Gregor smiled and gave a small wave before exiting into the hallway. He could see Howard on his way back, rounding the corner as Gregor had just a few moments ago.

"My dad had a fever like this not too long ago. He said weird things just like that. It'll be fine once her temperature goes back down," Gregor said optimistically.

"I know," Howard said with an exasperated sigh. Gregor could see just how tired he was by looking at his eyes. He had dark, heavy bags underneath them. Through the haggard expression, Gregor could see the telltale signs of worry. "This is her second one."

"Her second fever?"

Howard nodded. "Her wound is healing, but she has an infection. It's tough to manage right now. Her body is using the fever to fight it, but we must control how hot the fever gets. It's been a long few days."

"Oh geez," Gregor said. He recalled just how short his Underland hospital visits were after his injuries. Even after his fight with the Bane, he didn't remember his stay being nearly as long. This was Pandora's second week in the hospital, and it was getting close to the third. "Let me know if you need a break, Howard. I can watch her for a while."

"Thank you, Gregor, I appreciate it. And thank you for stopping by. Sometimes Pandora seems to get a bit bored."

"I could tell! But hey, I'd get bored too if I were in her place. I'll stop by again soon."

Howard smiled and nodded before continuing on his way back to Pandora's room.

Gregor needed some air; he couldn't take being in the stuffy palace. The halls still smelled like sweaty bodies packed in like sardines. He headed up to the High Hall, and found a familiar Underlander with long, shiny silver hair looking at the city on the balcony.

"Hey," he greeted as he walked over. He stopped as he got to the entrance, right before the floor went past the rest of the palace wall. How could he still be so nervous of the height, knowing that any flyer in the air would scoop him up in a moment's notice?

Luxa turned her head and glanced at him, her violet eyes glimmering for a moment in the torchlight before she returned her gaze to the city below. "Gregor," she greeted.

Slowly making his way to where Luxa was leaning, he placed his forearms on top of the half-wall and joined her. "Good place to think," he complimented.

Luxa hummed in acknowledgement.

"You got a lot on your mind, huh?"

"Yes," she answered. "There is much to do. If Mareth and Vikus were not so attentive, I wouldn't have known where to begin."

"It gets hard to figure out how to tackle a to do list, if it's a long one," Gregor agreed.

"But we have to start somewhere." Luxa was silent for a moment. Gregor decided not to speak either, he tore his eyes off Luxa and looked down upon the city with her. "I feel as though I am trapped between a claw and a stone. I've never felt such scrutiny in my two years as queen. The rebel's words speak volumes over their actions, and that makes them dangerous."

Gregor imagined creatures who hated Luxa as their queen, walking in the city streets, whispering rumors, conjuring negative thoughts, and spreading hate.

"That's not why you're upset though, isn't it?"

Luxa held her breath, then peeled her eyes away from her city to look at Gregor. "No, it is not."

"Luxa," Gregor turned away from the wall and looked at her, "you can't beat yourself up about what happened at the behind the palace. It was chaos. It was right after our last battle. There were people everywhere, we were all trying to find some sort of place in the clean-up, and..."

"It's not just that," Luxa cut him off. She turned away from the city as well. "I know there was nothing more I could do then. Aurora and I have discussed it."

"Good," Gregor said, he pursed his lips and narrowed his gaze at her, as if squinting could help him see through her skull and into her brain. "But you're still angry with yourself. I know it. I can see it in the look on your face." Gregor raised his eyebrows and took a step towards her. "I've been there... and I understand."

Luxa looked out on the city again but kept her body facing Gregor, her eyes fluttering quickly between the buildings, as if she were collecting her thoughts. Gregor didn't rush her.

When she spoke, her voice was tight. "When you returned, and Ripred, Aurora, and I heard from the scouts and waited at the Reaper's Gate to greet you, I... I refused myself to get my hopes up. It has been six years. You have grown up, and so have I. I had myself convinced that it would be easy to see you again, as if we were complete strangers meeting for the first time. But then you opened your mouth and spoke... and everything I had built up around me came crashing down."

Luxa turned to face Gregor, her violet eyes staring into his. "I grew up without the fear of death. Every day I went to bed with more time was a triumph. When I saw you standing there, a bit taller and much less lanky, everything I told myself each morning before I started my day burned up, faster than parchment in a fire." Luxa's brow fell over her eyes and she looked at the floor. "Why have I lost this piece of myself? My thoughts have changed. I find myself more prone to nerves and more hesitant to make a decision. Why?"

"Luxa," Gregor started to ask, a hand shooting up and touching her cheek. When he saw her face, he second-guessed himself and paused. Luxa was clearly upset. Her eyes shone. She seemed on the verge of tears, and Gregor knew she wasn't one to cry. She never really cried since her parents...

"Didn't you start thinking that way after your parents died?" Gregor blurted.

Luxa chewed on the inside of her cheek and nodded. At least she didn't brush his hand away.

After they met, her whole mindset changed, Gregor thought. She must've still had feelings for him. Geez, he still had feelings for her, too! "Every day is a journey," he said slowly. He moved his hand from her cheek to her shoulder reassuringly. "And one of the greatest joys is going to bed thinking how, in the morning, you can do it all over again." Luxa took a step closer to him and he held out his other arm, inviting her in for an embrace. "It's not about rejoicing that you've cheated death. It's about celebrating life." Gregor smiled when Luxa put her arms around him, her cheek pressed onto his chest and her eyes staring off at her city. "I, for one," Gregor said, "think it's great that your mind has changed. When my dad disappeared, I refused to think of my future. Having hope was forbidden. I didn't let myself picture my dad coming home." Gregor shook his head. "But I don't do that anymore. Why should I keep myself from hoping? It's a powerful thing. Even if it means my feelings get hurt if things don't work out."

"Just before Aurora and I were to fight the queen, I became afraid." Luxa closed her eyes and paused. "I was afraid I would die. Or worse. Aurora would die. I don't know how you made it through such a time, when you fought something so powerful, and had your bond ripped away from you."

"I might not have had Ares after the fight, but I never thought I was alone. I had you... I had Boots and Lizzie."

"Now you are here," Luxa said. "and we are together again."

"Yes, uh..." Gregor stammered. This was what he was afraid of. Why did he think coming over here and talking to Luxa now was such a good idea? He wasn't ready! She was clearly already upset! But how could he play with her emotions more and lie? To brush off the fact that he hadn't made a decision about staying? To Gregor, that felt like something much more cruel than just being honest.

"Luxa," he started. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it, Gregor?"

"I'm still... on the fence about staying."

"What do you mean 'on the fence'?"

"I can't decide," Gregor clarified. "I've learned so much these few weeks. I feel like I could go back to the Overland... and be okay... but I'm torn. I can't make up my mind."

"You..." she said quietly. "You do not think you will stay?"

"Yeah. I don't want my sisters to grow up without their older brother. I miss them so much, and I..."

"And I suppose we will part ways, the same as last time," Luxa said sharply. She lowered her arms and took a step away.

Gregor's heart hurt. Why was this so hard? "Luxa," he begged and tried to take her hand. She yanked it away as soon as his fingers grazed it. "I just want to be honest. I didn't want to hurt your feelings more by avoiding it!"

"Thank you very much for acknowledging my feelings," she spat back. "I'm sure when you told me I wouldn't have to do this alone anymore, you were sparing my feelings then as well?"

"It's a really hard decision, Luxa. Really it is. Please don't make it harder."

"Oh, I do apologize that I am getting in your way," she retorted. She turned sharply and walked back towards the High Hall. "I'll leave you alone to your devises, then."

Gregor jogged to try to keep up with her long and quick stride. "Luxa, wait!"

Luxa stopped abruptly and spun her head around, long hair shimmering in the light of the nearest torch. "If I were you, I would not follow," she warned with an evil glint in her narrowed eyes.

Gregor stopped and followed her with his gaze, mouth agape as his boyhood love stormed off. He didn't used to love her... he still did!

At that moment, Gregor realized just how stupid he really was.