Chapter 19:

Leia POV:

  I woke up this morning feeling a little more energized than I did yesterday. The weight of everything was still on me but there was nothing I could do about it. Last night's memories came flooding back in and I looked over at Pythia and smiled. She was really good at making me laugh. I sat up and leaned against the headboard and took a deep breath. I really wanted to shower and brush my teeth. I couldn't even remember how long it has been. "Why are you awake." Pythia asked, looking at me. "Well the sun is up and I want to take a shower, brush my teeth you know, not smell like a rotting corpse." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "Alright, well let's get you clean so you smell better." Pythia laughed while getting up. "Don't move." Pythia added before she walked into the bathroom. I heard the water turn on and another door opening. "I got you some big dresses because you can't wear pants or anything right now," Pythia yelled. "I don't mind at all. Might be a little breezy." I replied. I heard Pythia bust out laughing. "Breezy. Easy breezy lemon squeezy." Pythia said, laughing harder. When she walked back out she was holding a large pink gown looking thing and I busted out laughing. "Wanna try to walk?" Pythia asked. "Yes please." I said pushing the covers off of my legs. 

    She walked over to the side of the bed and held her hand out to me, I took a few deep breaths, "Una, I might need a little help." I said as I slowly pulled my legs to the side of the bed. I felt Una push forward slightly. "Easy does it." Pythia said, pulling me up. I wobbled for a few moments and pain shot through my legs. "Okay, alright we can do this." I huffed. Pythia stood in front of me so that she was walking backwards, slowly I barely raised my foot and took a step forward. "Good thing the hot water is amazing." Pythia laughed. I smiled at her, she was trying to make light of the situation and I was grateful for it. "Could you do me a favor?" I asked. "Of course." Pythia replied. "Can you get my brother over here after I'm cleaned up?" I asked. "Sure, parents as well or no?" Pythia replied. I thought about it for a moment, I didn't want my mom to see me until I was looking a little bit better and I know how emotional it will be. "Just Brad for now. I want to get my strength up for my parents. That is going to be an emotional roller coaster." I said. I loved my parents but I hated when my mom cried because it didn't matter what she was crying about I would be next to her crying.

 ''After I get you in the shower I'll tell Lillith to get him here. That should give you plenty of time." Pythia replied. I nodded my head as we finally got into the bathroom. "Let me check your wounds first." Pythia added. I stood still while she took them all off, the stitches had gone away which I assumed was a good thing. "Alright, let's get you undressed and in the shower, just be gentle when you are washing over these areas." Pythia said. "I can do that, I'm just happy to have some hot water hit my skin." I sighed. After everything that has happened I was not shy about being naked in front of her. She opened the door and helped me step in. "I put all the stuff right up there so you don't have to reach around for things. The bar on the side is for you to hold on to while you clean yourself so you don't fall. I'll be right back." Pythia said before she disappeared. I slowly stepped under the hot water and let it all wash over me. It felt so nice, you never realize how much you miss things like this until they are taken away. I grabbed the shampoo and carefully lathered my hair with it and washed it out. My hair felt rough, over-fried and frail. I used a lot of conditioner and let it sit in my hair while I gently cleaned the rest of my body. 

    I took in the new scars I would have and it hurt to see, I had to keep telling myself that it could have been a lot worse. I could have died but I didn't and I had to be thankful for that. I rested my hand on my belly and felt my heart sink a little. I was still young, Pythia might be able to find something if not I could always adopt. Help kids who don't have homes to go to and that wasn't bad. I started feeling tired, this was the most I had moved in a couple days. Who would have thought that it would have been this exhausting. I finished washing my hair and turned the water off, when I opened the door I looked up to see Pythia standing there with a towel. I didn't know when she had gotten back, she helped me dry off and wrap my hair up before I was able to put on the big night gown. "Feel better?" Pythia asked. "A lot better actually, tired now though." I replied. "It'll take a day or so to feel more normal but we will get you there. Come on, I'll do your hair." Pythia said, opening the door. I didn't say anything as I slowly walked back into the room. "When will Brad be here?" I asked. "About ten minutes or so." Pythia replied.

   I was feeling a little nervous, Brad was the best brother but he also liked to lecture me on a lot of things. I know I deserve it but I hoped he would just have a normal conversation with me this time around. As she brushed through my hair I let my mind wonder. I wanted to see Alley, tell her thanks for everything she had done, I missed her. "Alright, I just did an easy braid, let's get you back in bed. I'm going to get you some herbs to mix with your water and some cream that we will put on later to help with the scars." Pythia said standing to her feet. "Food is right over there, I'll be back soon. Your brother is here." Pythia added before she again disappeared. I heard a knock on the door and Brad popped his head in. I smiled softly at him as he walked in. "How are you feeling?" Brad asked, sitting on the edge of my bed. "I have seen better days brother. How are you?" I asked. "A lot better now, I've been worried about you." Brad said. "I know.. I'm sorry." I whispered. "I know you are. I'm just glad to see you. Pythia said it'll be a few more days until she will let you go. We are taking you somewhere." Brad replied, making me look at him. "Take me where?" I asked. "Oklahoma for a little while so you can heal mentally and spiritually. She told me everything that happened. Don't worry, mom and dad don't know and I'm not going to tell them." Brad replied. 

    I felt the tears build up in my eyes. He knew, even when I left here I wouldn't have to deal with it all alone. "Hey.. Don't cry, it'll be alright. Pythia said she made some stuff to help with everything and I'll be right there with you." Brad said, wrapping me up in a hug. It was like everything hit me like a title wave. He wasn't here to lecture me but to assure me that he would be there every step of the way. "She has been so nice to me." I said. "I know she has, I can tell she genuinely cares for you. I couldn't have picked a better person to care for you." Brad replied. "I'm going to stay in contact with her no matter what. I owe her so much." I said sitting back. "We already made our deal, little miss sunshine, mix this with your water and drink it. Brad make sure she eats. I have some stuff to take care of but I'll be back. We have another movie night tonight." Pythia said, handing me a little pouch. "Yes we do, the next avenger movie." I giggled. "I swear, you and those movies." Brad muttered, making me laugh, he knew my obsession with those. "Can you blame me? You drool over Nat so don't start." I laughed. I looked back up to see Pythia had left and Brad looked confused. "Does she do that all the time?" He asked. "Yeah, you'll get used to it." I laughed. 

    "How are mom and dad?" I asked. "They are doing okay, you know how mom gets, she wants to see you but she knows that she has to wait." Brad replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll see her in a day or so. I have to prepare for that. I want to see Alley too." I said. "You will, she asks about you all the time and that young gamma too." Brad replied. "Who?" I asked. "His name is Brandon, he was one of the people looking for you, he would come over every day to give me some updates. He still comes over everyday but it's to see how you are doing." Brad replied. I was a little surprised that he would still come over to see how things were going. "That's very nice of him to do, even more so since he doesn't know me at all." I said. "He is very close to Alley so I imagine he has heard all about you. I need to find a way to thank him for all he has done. He will be happy to hear that you are well again." Brad replied with a smile. "Does anyone know that we are leaving after this?" I asked. "Very few people and we will keep it that way. We don't want anyone to really know where we are going so that you can have some peace." Brad replied. Peace. That sounded so nice, I know Oklahoma has some mountains, maybe I can take up hiking or something. Find myself again. 

    I needed to be at peace with myself so that I could fully move on from all of this and the only real way to do that is to train, talk and a good cry. "Are you going to train me again?" I asked. "You bet your ass I'm going to train you again. I don't think it will take you very long to catch back up though." Brad replied. "It never does, but I would like to feel like myself again." I said. "In time you will, now mix those herbs and eat. Pythia is nice and all but I would rather stay on her good side." Brad replied, picking up the water bottle. I opened the little bag and lavender and vanilla hit my nose and made my stomach growl. "Trying to call some whales over there?" Brad laughed. "Maybe.. I've always wanted a pet whale.. I would name him Bob." I replied laughing. "I've missed your jokes, it's good to have you back." Brad said, hugging me. "It's good to be back." I said and I meant it. Through all of this I really learned how lucky I was to be where I am today surrounded by the people that meant a lot to me. That is something that I will never take for granted again.