A GIFT OF TIME

Episode 14

"honey" my mom squealed from the outside of the garage probably stopping my dad from making his way in. 

"love" I could picture them kissing or hugging at the sudden silence that falls afterwards. 

"need to get these things in the garage-

" don't worry Charlie would get those in the garage for you, oh love you're looking exhausted. Come, let's get you inside " my mom suggested and I gave out a loud sigh finally deciding to release the breath I didn't notice I was holding after I heard their retiring footsteps. 

"Claire" Charlie called and I flinched. 

"holy s**t Charlie, you scared the daylight out of me" I complained as he move in with some extinguishers moving to the lower part of the garage to put them down. 

"hell yeah no kidding" Danny agreed and Charlie chuckled. 

"I guess you figured out dad's around" Charlie smiled. 

"he's still a bit mad at us for not coming to pick him up" Charlie informed and I sighed. 

"I totally forgot about it-

"and mom said she couldn't keep time. He's upstairs refreshing by the way. So you need to wrap everything up before he decides to see you-

" where did he think I am? "I asked and he smiled before deciding to give me a response. 

" with Danny " my brother smirked. I know that expression. I know just when he does that, that mischievous dirty smirk on his lips. We all have that silly habit. Giving out a hot topic to cover up whatever it is other might be curious about in the house. 

" you didn't-

" oh yes I did" Charlie chirped loudly before chuckling while I glared at him. 

"you wouldn't dare tell him" I sneered my frown deepening as my brows furrowed tighter. 

"well I didn't. Mom did" Charlie snickered and I let out a frustrated groan throwing my hands up in the air in defeat. 

"um... What is he talking about? Is something wrong Claire?" Curious Danny questioned Confusion marring his perfect feature and concern lacing his appealing voice. His gaze became unsteady between Charlie and I as he waited for my answer. 

"Nothing, just my mom and Charlie playing their gossip card again" I replied with a playful smile then glared at my brother who was busy trying to hold in his laughter. 

"also, do mom a favor and head in with Danny. Dad will be very much glad" Danny teased before we all turned back to the alien who had successfully get the rope off his hands during our distraction but was very much engrossed with trying to get the rope around his feet off. He must have realized our conversation had stopped because he slowly turned to meet us all arching a brow at him. He whimpered while his face suddenly pale off. Stretching out my hand Danny handed me the g*n and he yelped moving to the back of the pole while trying to tie back the rope on his hands. Good boy I smirked before studying the alien very well. Maybe I really shouldn't be that hard on him. I briefly turned and gave Danny back the g*n before moving to him. 

"what are you doing?" Charlie asked as I set to work on the ropes on his legs. 

"we shouldn't really be that hard on him. We need something. We should ask not force him to give us. There's so much he can offer us Charlie and I'll rather be his friend than a threat. I said meeting the alien's gaze. I know the card I'm playing. But I just hope Danny and Charlie were in the game. Both were kinda confused at my actions but roll along. 

"you have a name?" I asked meeting his green eyes. 

"Herochuvon" he answered and my eyes widened in obvious bewilderment. Is that even a thing? 

"o..okay" I muttered trying to hide my amazement. 

"I'll call you Hero. you know. There's so much we can offer each other. Your prince gave me a chance so I'm giving you one-

" I will not betray my kind" he hissed and I scoffed. 

"this isn't betraying Hero, this is helping your kind. your prince said earth is bad for you. Do you wanna to know why?" I asked and I saw that curious gleam in his eyes. 

"let's find a reason together. If you find out the earth is bad for you. Maybe you can warn your kind. Maybe you can save them before our planet consume you" I suggested and he lowered his head as if pondering on what I just told him. 

"okay now I'm confused. You're going to be fighting with an alien on your side Claire. He f*****g tried to kill us" Charlie blurted in disbelief. 

"we do only as orders" I chuckled on his little attempt to defend himself as my brother gave him a scornful look. 

"we can help each other Hero. If you let me-

" they will come back for you" he revealed and I smiled. 

"thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to be ready" I smiled helping him up. 

"do you want to find out why the earth is bad for you. If you find out, will you support your prince rather than your hypocrite chief" I asked and he nodded. 

"Good. I promise not to use the g*n on you if you cooperate. But hold on, if you're so afraid of the g*n. Why use it? You almost got me killed-

" good question " my brother remarked folding his arms. 

" why? " he asked turning all his attention to the alien. 

"we were told you will die if we use it" he despondently replied. 

"I came soon. I just joined them. I am young" he added meeting my gaze. 

"that is really obvious" I commented studying his feature. 

"but the prince younger" he quickly filled in. 

"how old are you?" I couldn't keep myself from asking. My curiosity was eating me up. I couldn't help but get curious. I knew this creatures where likely to bring my world to an end but the more I get to know them the more the pain I've felt subsided. Maybe it wasn't their fault after all. Maybe all of this could be solved by casual understanding. But the pain had filled me up with so much hate and I just wanted to end every single one of them. But realizing one of them refunded my life maybe it's not gonna be a long one but it gave me a chance to save my race and my people. Maybe they also deserve a chance. 

"17 in my count-

" and I believe you're 57, in our count" Danny miraculously calculated. 

"that was fast" I snickered turning to meet his eyes. 

"you just need to add 40" he shrugged the compliment and I smiled. 

"and how old is your prince?" I asked before my eyes fell on a greenish long whip with hairy ends behind him. 

"9" he answered but I was a little distracted by what danced behind him. 

"what is that?" I asked moving behind him. 

"I think it's a tail" Danny said eyes blinking rapidly as he studied the long greenish part of Hero. 

"I can't be.. believe this" my brother breathed mouth agape as he stared while Hero's tail coil and uncoil itself. 

"they've got tentacles and a tail" Danny announced his realization in a rather shocking manner. 

"I knew there so much to find out." I chuckled watching Hero's little tail until there was this green glow arising from the middle of Hero's face and spreading across his face like a wave. 

"what is that?" I questioned obviously amazed as I looked into his despondent face. 

"uh-uh" he silently whimpered and Danny moved closer. 

"he's embarrassed" Danny pointed out and my eyes widened in shock. I was ridiculously grinning now. But Hero decided to prove Danny right as he abruptly retract in his tail. I couldn't hold back my laughter and the green wave kept spreading as I laughed. 

"wow. Two new observation, you've got a tail, and you can be embarrassed. Remind me to jot that down" I briefly turned to Danny who was smiling. I knew meeting Hero was anew beginning of something for me and my kind. He was a great help. It wasn't shocking when I found that he was a vegetarian. Eat only veggies rich in Nitrogen. Saving and tying him up in the garage was the beginning of something very different.  

***

"mom, I'm home" I announced moving in with Danny, Hero, and Charlie behind me. 

"dove" my dad dotingly called from the sitting room. 

"Daddy" I squealed running into his wide-opened arms. 

"I miss you so much dove" my dad cooed softly caressing my hair. 

"I missed you so much dad" I breathed sighing in relief as I returned the gesture of putting his hands around me. I wouldn't know what I would have done if I had lost him again. 

"I was upset because you all forgot to come pick me but I pardoned you when I heard... Oh he's here" my Dad exclaimed after releasing me to face Danny. 

"welcome back Mr Chadwick" Danny said extremely nervous. Another proof he was Nick. Danny had seen and talked to my dad countless times for him not to be nervous. But the nervous look on Danny's face was something Danny didn't wear but Nick.

"heard you and my daughter finally got it going?" my Dad wriggled his brow grinning widely at Danny who merely laughed and blushed at his childish act. 

"you're embarrassing me" I whispered to my dad and he gave a slight chuckle. 

"happy birthday in a few days by the way" my dad wished and I grinned in response. 

"Thanks dad" I muttered before making my way to the kitchen. 

"oh who's the new guy?" My dad asked raking Hero with his eyes. Okay he had every right to give Hero that look I mean the guy was dressed in a dirty orange T-shirt which was obvious under the dirty blue Jean jacket and badly stained blue Jean. 

"he's Charlie's friend's younger brother" I immediately filled in and Charlie abruptly turned to in reaction. I gave him an apologetic look because I definitely couldn't come up with any better excuse so until we tell dad everything we just had to stick to that act. 

"oh yeah" my brother gave a forced laugh a hand on Hero's shoulder as he tried to go along with the act. 

"he has a little difficulty talking and he's not a regular kid. Having trouble growing up. So my brother volunteered to help him" I added moving deeper into the kitchen to get some lunch. 

"oh yeah. I volunteered" Charlie forced a laugh meeting my eyes and giving me that kind of 'I'll kill you later kinda look'. I stifled a laugh and decided to have legumes for lunch and that's when I realized Ghafils eat. Of course every living thing feeds I get it but I wasn't expecting aliens to okay. I wasn't that daft but there was so much I was finding out. 

"Food" Hero muttered and sluggishly moved to me. I saw Danny at the corner of my eyes moving his hand to his back. That moment I realized he hadn't trust Hero yet. Not that I have either I mean, it wasn't easy to completely trust someone who was trying to kill you a day before deciding to roll along with you. It wasn't really that easy but Danny was readying the g*n he had trapped in his trousers just in case Hero make any funny move. But Hero was merely hungry. He despondently collected the packet of uncooked beans in my hands and sniffed it. Great I thought because now he was gonna eat it. 

"Honey you're home?" my mom questioned my presence on seeing me as she climb down the stairs gaining everyone's attention in the room except me because I still had my eyes glued on Hero. Danny had removed his hand from his back and was now focused on my mom. I felt very thankful about everyone's distraction on my mom's presence because it would have been very weird for my dad to witness Hero chewing and eating dry and uncooked beans. It would have been hard to explain. 

"how did you go about your friend in the garage-"my mom paused realizing my dad's presence and probably Hero's presence. 

" it went well mom. We've fixed your car" my Brother added for mom and both gave a forced laugh. I knew my dad. With that confused expression, he was starting to suspect something was wrong. Of course he'll suspect because mom had an horrified expression on her face on seeing Hero. 

"oh Charlie why don't you get Hero some change of clothes. He reeks of diesel" I chirped in loudly for dad to make out. 

"oh that's why he's so dirty. He was helping your mom fix her car?" Dad asked with a confused expression. 

"yeah dad. He used to work in an auto shop" I smiled Slightly pushing Hero to Charlie. 

"Why don't Danny come help in picking some clothes for him" My brother silently pleaded because he was sure not going alone with an alien to his room. Danny understood that and gladly followed him up. 

"and Claire. Why don't we both have some ladies talk upstairs" my mom forced a smile eyes commanding me to leave the cereal I was making and head upstairs. I knew she had questions. I knew she was curious. Because the last time she saw Hero and I, I was pointing a g*n at him and he and ropes restraint. 

"of course mom" I timidly reply giving my pitiful lunch one last glance before heading upstairs leaving only dad who was looking a bit confused about the whole drama we just demonstrated. I knew dad was eventually gonna find out but we could at least slow down the process of him finding out. 

"Claire what's going on?" my mom asked immediately we were up in my room. 

"He's not that harmful" I defended and she frowned. 

"Claire, he's not human and he tried to kill you. I don't know how to feel about this Claire. There's so much going on and it's going so fast that I can get it all in. First it was the news about the apocalypse, then the alien. I don't know Claire. Everything sounds so crazy and-

"mom" I called holding her hands in mine. She let out a soft frustrated sigh studying me. 

"I'm scared Claire. I'm scared all this is real. I'm scared" my mom confessed and I gave her an assuring hug. 

"we'll be fine mom. That's a promise" I assured before releasing her. 

"are you sure he isn't dangerous?" my mom asked doubt still written on her face. 

"I can't say for sure mom. All I can tell you is... He might be very helpful. He is a young alien who hasn't really been here for long. I don't think he's that corrupted and it seem to be loyal to his kind not the freaky chief. He wants to find out why earth is bad for them" I explained and my mom snickered. 

"but what if earth isn't bad for them. He would turn against you and take our home" my mom fretted her insecurities were finally taking over. 

"I won't be here if earth was good for them. My life right now, this time... didn't belong to me. It was a gift mom. That's enough proof. Isn't it?" I asked and my mom sighed before finally nodding. We decided to check on the boys which now included Hero. I don't know if am human term should be used for an alien but I would gladly accept any other term. We walked down the hallway until we reached Charlie's room. My mom seem pretty nervous though. 

"Charlie. You in there?" I asked but there was no response so I panicked barging into the room. Danny was busy with his phone and my brother was humming a song standing in front of his closet with two pair of jeans in his hand and Hero. Please don't ask me because I fainted. I mean I don't expect Hero to completely appear human. Even down there. Why was he without trousers. Good heavens. Can things get any worse? My head weighed a ton by the time I opened my eyes. 

"why did she die?" I heard the alien accent and I could tell it was Hero asking. I wanted to say 'I didn't die dickhead just fainted' but my head felt like s**t. My groan of discomfort made others rush to me. I made out my mom's image, Danny, Charlie and fully dressed Hero. 

"can I asked Hero a question?" I kinda surprised my family but really need to ask this question. 

"why do you appear so human Hero?" I asked and he blinked furiously before registering my words. 

"some of us can. Not all. We can imitate nature. It is defense" He explained fueling the fire of my Confusion. 

"like a camouflage?" Charlie asked twitching his lips upward in a silly kinda way. 

"what is camouflage?" he asked eyes beaming in confusion and I shot my brother a glare for confusing the young alien. 

"didn't know he was that dumb" Charlie shrugged. 

"like this" Hero cited holding Charlie only for a green glow to ripple right from his head down. It totally changed him and he suddenly appeared identical to Charlie. No, not identical, because I am seeing two Charlie right now. 

"are you seeing what I'm seeing Claire?" probably Hero or Charlie asked and I nodded. 

"it's my turn to faint" my brother announced and he slumped back into Danny's arms. My mom looked like she was gonna scream any second. 

"mom you cannot scream. Dad's downstairs" I warned before turning back to the second Charlie. 

"um, Hero thank you for the surprise. But you really have to change back" I kinda pleaded to the only Charlie that was standing right in front of me which I guessed must be Hero since my brother just fainted. 

"I can not do now. I have to-

" No way" I muttered because I feel like I was gonna freak out of he finish his statement. What does he meant he cannot. 

"I think he has to touch the person he wanted to imitate his nature. It's like duplicating the person's DNA" my mom filled in but my head hurt too much to understand. 

"we have to find someone else for him to do that too. Charlie will certainly hate for him to walk around looking like him" I blurted and mom sighed. 

"get up man. Don't be a chicken" Danny taunted and Charlie's eyes flustered open. 

"and how did you look like that boy in the first place, you met him or what?" I asked Climbing down from my bed. 

"they brought humans to us" he revealed and my eyes widened in shock. 

"who brought humans?" I asked after meeting my mom's curious gaze. 

"others. Ghafils" he muttered his answers though he looked like my brother he doesn't really talk like him. I guess that can't be imitated. 

"so there are many of you then? 

" No " he replied sharply. 

" we are not many. Us that can defend. Imitate. We are not many. We are 10 in 100" he added and I shared the same genius look with my mom. 

"imitating is an ability few of you has?" I rephrased for him and he nodded. 

"is there any other abilities some of you might have?" I inquired and he nodded in affirmation. 

"others have abilities too-

" Claire, honey, Charlie... Where are you guys?" that was definitely my dad's voice. It wasn't shocking when all of us shared a shocked expression. 

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