4.5 Truth, Lies and Sacifice

"Should you be up?" Malachi asked in concern as he came into Kimberly's room.

"I'm fine" she said brushing his hands aside "I don't need your help."

"Whatever" he mumbled backing towards the door.

"Malachi wait," she cried "I'm sorry."

He stopped "I was worried about you. I am worried about you," he amended taking a step towards her "you don't know how awful it was to find you face down in the mud and water." He looked away a tear sliding down  his cheek unheeded "I thought you were dead."

She frowned imagining what he saw yesterday. She shivered in the coolness of the room. "I am sorry," she repeated closing the gap between them. "It must have been awful for you. She reached up and wiped a tear away for his eye.

He leaned forward resting his forehead on hers. His hands slipping around her waist. "What happened? Your dads all seemed to know what was happening. No one would tell me though. They kept saying that you would tell me when you were feeling better." He gave her a worried glance his green eyes clouded adding depth to his concern "are you ill? Epileptic? Diabetic? Please tell me."

"I...I'm not ill," she said trying to pull away from him "you won't understand," she mumbled.

He put a finger beneath her chin "let me be the judge of that."

She gazed into his emerald green eyes hoping that once she told him they would still look at her with the same warmth. "I ..." she licked her lips her stomach twisting in anticipation of his response. "I can connect to people's minds. Know what they're thinking and feeling...." she watched him recoil from her stepping back as if she smelled bad.

"Are you saying you can read my mind?" he demanded " a mind reader..."

"No I...I mean yes," she pleaded as he paced the floor in front of her "it's limited..." she crossed her arms looking away. She could feel tears burning behind her eyes but she wouldn't give in to them. She wouldn't let him see her as a weakling "I knew you wouldn't understand," her tone hurt and accusatory.

"How do you think I'd feel? I just found out my girlfriend is a mind reader," he ran his hands through his purple tinged hair. "How do I know you haven't influenced my thinking or...or..."

"I told you it was limited," she yelled at him "I can't connect with you."

"Oh and how am I supposed to know that?" he demanded.

"You were supposed to be different," she curled her fingers into fists. Her nails biting into her palms reminding her not to give in to the tears stinging her eyes.

"How did you think I'd react?" he asked his tone less belligerent not as loud.

"I thought...I hoped you'd understand," she lifted her chin up refusing to feel ashamed for who she was or the ability she had. "You don't have anything to worry about. I'll leave you alone..." she could feel the weight of her disappointment crushing the air from her lungs.

He moved towards the door. Sure that he'd walk out and never turn back. How could she not tell him she could read minds? What did she mean it was limited? Limited to what? To whom? Could he turn his back on her and walk out of her life forever? Swallowing he looked over his shoulder. Saw the shimmering tears in her crystal blue eyes. He yearned to pull her close. To feel her head on his shoulder while he wiped her tears away. He rubbed the bridge of his nose feeling as if he had lost a piece of the puzzle "I wish I knew what I should do?" He took a step away from the door "help me to understand."

She glanced at his genuine confusion in his eyes "if I could read your mind don't you think I'd have done it by now?"

"I guess so" he said slowly "so your ability really is limited? It's not like the movies where you know everything about a person by just looking at them."

A slight smile quirked the corners of her mouth "don't be ridiculous. This isn't science fiction. I should have explained better. Limited means only those I'm blood related to. So even if we to get married I'd never be able to read your mind."

"So you want to marry me," Malachi smirked moving closer to her.

"I didn't say that," she swatted his hands away.

"Alright you don't want to marry me," he smiled when she glared at him "how did you get this ability?"

Shrugging "I was born with it," sighing she went into detail about Silver and her early years alone in the bubble universe "I want to make sure Silver never gets out again. My grandparents are all working on it but..."

"You want to do your part to help," he finished for her. This time he trusted the instinct he had to pull her close, kiss her cheek "thank you for telling me." It was all he could think to say. It didn't seem like enough and yet it meant everything.

***

Kimberly jumped as her Uncle began shouting at her for the millionth time. "Why didn't you tell us she was in trouble?"

"I...I..." she floundered trying to find the words to say from her suddenly blank brain.

"It's not her fault," Heath said standing in front of his distraught Uncles "we all sensed something was off about Gwen's behavior. Don't lay all the blame on Kimberly. It's not fair to expect her to know everything just because of her ability."

Elliot put a restraining arm across Kyle's taut shoulders "Kyle this isn't her fault." He tried to get his husband to sit but Kyle persisted on pacing around the large living room.

"I'm sorry," Kimberly cried watching her Uncle pace and the miserable look he cast towards her. She took a step forward only to be brought up short when someone took her by the arm. Turning she found herself facing Malachi. His green eyes bright with an emotion she couldn't identify. He shook his head slightly towards the stairs.

She followed him curious to know what was up that couldn't wait. "Don't talk just listen," he said when he closed her bedroom door "a few months ago I ran into Gwen on campus. She was crying. I couldn't just leave her like everyone else was doing. So I sat beside her in silence while she cried so she'd know she wasn't alone."

Gasping Kimberly reached forward touching his arm "she's the reason you missed your concert. The reason why you lost your scholarship."

Nodding he shrugged "I'd do it again. I couldn't leave her. Not in the state she was in. I watched a lot of the guys who had gone out with her simply walk past her without an ounce of concern. Some even laughed. It made my blood boil to be honest. She didn't deserve that no matter how she much she's slept around."

Kimberly took his hand in hers "that's why I like you. You're always thinking about others." She felt him squeeze her hand in response "but I don't understand why you didn't tell me."

"If she wasn't in trouble now I still wouldn't be telling you," Malachi shivered as memories bombarded him of an unpleasant bald man with evil blue eyes. "I met him."

"Met who?" she asked looking up at him.

"Him the one everyone is upset about."

"Kyle's father?" Kimberly said in a low scared voice. "When?" she demanded walking away from him.

"Gwen begged me not to tell," his voice high with stress "I gave her my word..."

"Can't you see how worried we all are? Her parents are worried sick. We can't find her. She checked out of her hotel room. She's not at the house. I can't connect with her," she whirled around to face him. Clutching his shirt "tell me what you know. Please we have to find her."

"I..." he sighed pulling the distraught girl closer to him. He kissed the top of her head "I think I have an idea where she might be..."

She jerked her head up demanding "where? Tell me."

"I promised," he sighed at the look she gave him "Kim I gave my word." He ran a shaky hand through his hair "I have to go. I'm sorry." He turned and began to throw his things into his bag.

"You're just going to leave? Just like that" she cried watching him "you're not even going to tell me where. What am I supposed to tell everyone?"

"Kimberly do you trust me?" he asked coming to stand in front of her.

She stared at the boy wanting to say no "I trust you" she grumbled instead.

"Good," he said dropping his bag at his feet drawing her close. He lowered his mouth to hers "I wish it could be different," he mumbled "I love you." He picked up his bags and walked out the door saying "don't ever forget that."

***

The door closed behind him. Kimberly stood frozen, fingers tracing her lips where they still tingled from his kiss. Her ears still rang with his words. He loved her. He said it and she....she hadn't said anything. Running to the door she called his name. No response. She ran down the stairs and out the front door in time to see him getting into a cab. "Malachi wait," she shouted. She didn't know whether he heard her or not but the cab pulled away from the curb and drove away.

She ran back inside the house where Heath had come to look for her. He stopped taking in her frantic appearance "what's wrong? Did you get a read on her?"

Shaking her head she burst into tears "he left, he left."

"He who?" he asked without thinking.

"Malachi" she wailed as he drew her to him "he left to go find her. Thought he knew where she'd be."

"Gwen? He went to find Gwen?" Heath asked pushing her from him "How does he know where she is?"

"He wouldn't tell me" she cried "just asked me to trust him." She looked up at her dad "I'm scared. Daddy I'm afraid I'm never going to see him again."

"Of course you are," he kissed her forehead but his eyes held the same fear hers did. 

"You feel it too, don't you?" she asked.

Heath hesitated before nodding "I've felt his presence since the night we found you unconscious." 

"That's when I sensed him too," she said quietly "what if Gwen's grandfather is working for him?"

"That doesn't make sense. He was working for the Watchers. The Watchers don't like Silver." Heath pointed out.

"Like that would stop that evil old man. He'd sell his soul to the highest bidder" she gave her dad a small sad smile "I told Malachi everything. Now that I think about it he wasn't shocked when I told him about Silver and the bubble universe."

"Now you do have me concerned," Heath told her rubbing his chin "why do you suppose that was?"

"It's like he already knew. He asked questions about what it was like living in one. Almost as if..." her voice faded as she lost herself in thought "what if he plans on trading himself for Gwen?"

"Honey you're jumping to conclusions," he pulled her close "I'm sure that by tomorrow he'll have called."

She heard the words her dad was saying. Watched his lips move while the words came out. Her eyes grew large as she reached out and touched his mind "I knew it" she said inside his head "your just as worried as I am."

***

With each successive day that passed and spring break came to a close Kimberly grew more and more withdrawn. "Come on Sweetie come and join us for breakfast," Heath cajoled her every morning. She shook her head closing her eyes.

The bedroom door opened and Don walked over to her. Sitting on the edge of the bed "Kimberly I know you miss him but you can't shut yourself off from the rest of us."

She wiped a tear way that dropped from her eye almost unnoticed "I never understood."

"Never understood what?" he asked.

"What you went through when Daddy wasn't here. Knowing that he was somewhere but unsure whether you'd ever see him again."

"Sweetie you don't know that," Don protested softly "It may not even be Silver..."

"It is," she nodded sitting up "daddy and I both feel him." She saw the way Don tensed up "I'm sorry I thought you knew. I thought..."

"Yes did I" Don mumbled a troubled look in his eyes.

"Dad is everything alright between you and daddy?" She watched him closely trying to pick up signs that he was lying to her.

"Kimberly," he sighed "it's been difficult. I've had years of raising you and your siblings on my own. I never stopped loving your dad but I had to move on. With Heath he didn't experience the same passage of time as we did. He didn't move one. He's still the same person now he was when he left. I'm older ..."

"Are you saying you no longer want to be with daddy?" she asked in a small frightened voice.  She hoped he'd deny it. She wanted him to deny it. She needed him to deny it.

"Yeah I think that's what I'm saying," he looked down into her eyes and flinched from the anger he saw in them. "Don't look at me like that."

"You'll break daddy's heart if you leave him. He loves you," she cried.

"I know but what about my happiness. My life didn't stop because he was gone. I'm sorry." He stood up shaking his head "It'd be more cruel to both of us to continue to live this lie."

"I hate you," she cried "you're a heartless beast." She threw herself on her bed hugging her pillow close to her.

***

Several hours later Kimberly opened her eyes to find Heath sitting by her beside. His eyes red and swollen. "Daddy he told you didn't he?"

Nodding he put his head into his hands. He didn't have to say anything to confirm her suspicions. 

"He left soon after he talked to you," Heath told her "said it was time he lived his life." He took a deep breath as he jumped to his feet "He just left. No second glance. No message for the kids." The more he talked the more upset he became.

"Daddy you'll be ok without him," she stood up mustering all of her strength to push back her own heartbreak to help her tenderhearted father.

"I'll have to be," he said straightening his shoulders "I can't stay here."

"Moonlight Falls," she said.

"I've wanted to move there when you were little but Don didn't want to move. So we stayed."

"We?" she prompted.

"You're Uncles, Great Grandparents. They all stayed." Heath shrugged"sooner or later we would have had to move anyway. Kyle and I won't age while our children and spouses will. It would have caused a lot of questions from people wondering where the fountain of youth was. Even Grandpa has to fake his age because he hasn't aged due to his extended time in the future. It messed up his aging." Heath turned to smile at his daughter "moving will be a good thing. A chance to start over."

"Daddy I love you," she could tell he was suppressing his feelings. She could feel his heartache and her heart ached for him. After all the years of questioning his feelings he had finally accepted his love for the man that just walked out of his life.

"I love you too sweetheart.

***

Malachi arrived at the designated spot. The one old man Lawrence said to arrive at when the time came. He had been expecting the call when Gwen went missing. He knew then he would have to sacrifice himself to save her. It would be worth it. Her family loved her. His family would miss the fame and notoriety that he would bring to them but not him.

His biggest regret was having to leave Kimberly. His heart had ached the last few days they were together. He wanted to gather her in his arms and tell her he loved her. In the end he mumbled the words too afraid she wouldn't reciprocate it.

Movement to his right alerted him that he wasn't alone. Gwen approached, her eyes red and swollen, make up smeared all over her face from crying. "You shouldn't have come," she said coming to a stop in front of him.

"I had to. I gave my word."

She nodded turning to her hated grandfather "can I go now? You have what you want."

"Yes go," when she moved to leave he grabbed her arm twisting it until she hissed in pain "remember what I told you. Tell anyone and I'll comeback for you or one of your sisters."

Nodding Gwen whimpered as  he brought his face close to hers "I...I won't tell." She stumbled when he released her. She heard his laughter follow her as she ran.

Malachi watched her go before turning to face the bald older man "care to tell me why you went through all this trouble to get me?"

"Who said I wanted you?" he pushed the boy towards what looked like a door in time and space. Bubble universe Malachi told himself as he fell through it. Then nothing at all.