Chapter 137 – Honesty

[2009 – September]

"Huhu huhu!", Arya called out from her spot at the side of my neck the moment I stepped into the office, greeting Emma with a few happy hoots, her tiny wings flapping about as if she was waving them at the gorgeous blonde sitting behind the large, dark wooden desk.

Arya had stayed with Emma a few times now when I had wanted to spend some time with just Jean or it was inconvenient for me to bring her around. She and Emma had become much closer during that time, enough to even call them friends.

They might make an unlikely pair but Arya had somehow managed to tunnel her way into Emma's icy heart, which I was glad about, as I knew that this older sister of mine was often plagued by loneliness.

Emma only had her family and even then, she rarely let her guard down. Having someone else that she could care about without having to worry about being judged or betrayed, was something precious to her.

Arya's affection was also very pure and untainted, as she only cared about how others treated her and what her instincts were telling her. She didn't care about another's past or their moral alignment, as those were not concepts that she could understand in any meaningful way.

"Hello, little one.", Emma greeted, the faintest of smiles gracing her lips while her eyes held a shadow of softness.

"You wanted to see me?", I asked as I took a seat in one of the two armchairs that were placed before her large desk.

Nodding quietly, Emma's expression turned unreadable as she turned the monitor of her computer around halfway. Displayed on it, I saw a few different news reports about what had happened in New York, specifically about Dr. Curtis Connors' actions and the role Oscorp Industries might have played in this tragedy that had caused many injuries, one death, and a mass panic.

"You knew that this would happen?", she asked, looking at me with an uncertain look in her beautiful blue eyes while wearing a black business suit that accentuated her curves, her hair tied up in a bun without a single strand gone astray.

I wasn't too surprised by her question. I had asked her about Oscorp Industries and Connors just a few weeks ago. With a mind as sharp as hers, it was only logical for her to realize that I might have known in advance that something like this was going to happen.

"I did.", I answered honestly, looking at Emma calmly. I saw no use in lying to her, our relationship was one based on honesty, after all.

A tiny frown appeared on her flawless face as she looked at me, her voice quiet as she questioned: "Why didn't you tell me?"

Leaning forward a bit, I reached out and took hold of her hand as I replied: "I will protect you with my life, Emma, if there ever is a need for such. You are my sister and I love you. The Hellfire Club though is your ambition, not mine. The visions that I had … I will not use what I saw to help you in your endeavor to gain more power."

…

There was a sternness and certainty in her younger brother's voice as he looked at her with his dark green eyes. Still, the underlying affection in his tone did not escape her senses, nor did she fail to notice the soft light that shone in his eyes.

What she had feared had not come to pass, after all, Elijah had not deceived or betrayed her.

The relief that flooded through her system with this discovery was overwhelming, an involuntary shiver running through her form. The trembling in her right hand though was suppressed by Elijah's warm grip.

Emma understood that Elijah had other goals and dreams. Christian and Cordelia were no different in this aspect. She didn't really mind the fact that he did not plan to aid her in her ambitions for power with his future sight.

The only thing that she could not bear to lose was the budding bond that she shared with him.

Elijah understood her, maybe better than anyone else, and before she had met him, Emma hadn't known how important that was to her. To have someone that saw her for who she was and yet still loved and trusted her unconditionally.

Turning her hand around, Emma held onto her little brother's hand lightly as she looked at him with soft crystal eyes for a few rare and short moments of gentleness, before taking back her hand and turning the monitor around again.

"I understand. Thank you for explaining.", she voiced out in a measured tone, her gaze regaining its calm.

"You're welcome, Emma.", Elijah replied with a faint smile while leaning back in his seat again, the look in his eyes changing into something more carefree as he continued, "That reminds me, Cordelia sent me an invitation to her birthday party next weekend. Do you have any idea what I should get her?"

Laughing lightly, Emma answered with a shake of her head: "Cordelia is one of those people for whom it is impossible to shop for. Even I never managed to buy her a gift that didn't cause her to make a long face, so don't get your hopes up."

"Christian is the only one that knows what to gift her that will make her happy, and he refuses to help me out too. 'It has to come from you or it's worthless', is what he said the last few times that I asked him for help. Such a smartass, hmph.", she ended, unable to stop herself from huffing lightly when she remembered her older brother's 'helpful' attitude.

"Well, it seems that Jean and I will have to think of something ourselves then.", Elijah stated with a small laugh, the corners of his lips drawn up in a slight smile.

…

Wearing a dark-red sports bra, a matching pair of panties, some yoga pants, and one of Elijah's hoodies, along with some socks and a pair of crocs, Jean stood beside her love in the entrance area of the training room.

Turning to him, she couldn't help but step into his embrace, her hands reaching up as she grabbed the fabric of his shirt tightly.

She tried to suppress the trembling in her voice as she asked him, looking up at Elijah with glittering eyes: "A-Are you sure about this?"

It was rather early in the morning still, but she knew that it was going to be a long day.

Elijah had been training and planning for this moment for a while now while waiting for his energy reserves to fill up to the required amount. Now that they were indeed full and ready for him to use Self-Creation again to give himself another Omega-level ability, he did not want to wait any longer.

And yet, the mere mention of this had Jean worried and frightened as she remembered all too clearly the pain that it caused her love whenever he used this wretched ability. From the deepest part of her heart, she was unwilling to see him hurt and in pain, but she knew that Elijah would never agree to not use this power of his.

No kind of suffering would stop her love from gaining the power that he yearned for, so the only thing she could do was be there for him to ease his pain after it was all over.

Raising his hand to caress her cheek, Elijah leaned down for a kiss as he whispered, the look in his eyes calm and incredibly affectionate: "Don't worry. I will be fine, my love. Though please make sure this little one stays by your side."

Reaching up, he gently took hold of Arya, who sat on his shoulder with her tiny body pressed against his neck, before setting her down on her shoulder.

[A/N: A bit short on time today, so I will upload the other chapters that I planned to post tomorrow. Sorry for the cliffhanger :D Hope you enjoyed it so far!]