Phoenix: rise from death. **COMPLETED**

#15 mom

"you don't know how much I have hated myself since the day you died Angel! I blamed myself every day! I promise I didn't do it willingly." she sniffed holding me in place not letting me go. her pain oozed out of her filling the air.

"I know. I don't blame you. I blame Christopher. I'm going to male this right. I'm going to make sure you and your daughter are safe from him. I will make sure of it." we sat on the edge of my bed together still in

each others embrace.

"you know about Angel?" she was surprised and shocked all at the same time. I smiled gently brushing her hair out of her face.

"yes i saw her when I checked in. she looks just like him. she is stronger than he is though. she is innocent and pure and I plan on making sure she gets to keep that. she deserves a childhood. a safe one." we sat there in silence a while as we processed the words that spilled out.

"I missed you so much Angel." she was sad. there was a hint of it in her voice.

"why so sad? we are finally together after three years."

"losing you." she hesitated as she spoke her voice faltering a little. "losing you devastated me. I couldn't breathe without you. I could barely pull myself together. of it weren't for little Angel I don't think I woukd have lived much longer. I can't lose you again. I have you and Angel and Jacob. that's all I have in this life."

"well I have some good news. I have found a mate." she looked at me stunned at first then burst out into laughter.

"I want to know who! it's been so long since we were allowed to just talk and be free. since before..." her voice trailed off before she said his name. I knew why she stopped herself. he was a monster in her eyes as well as mine and we had both suffered so much at his hands.

I fell back on the bed pulling her with me as we both laughed like school girls. "I missed this. ferment when we were kids and we would laugh for hours. Christopher took that away from us. I'm so sorry I brought him into our lives Carla."

she suddenly sat up and pushed me on the leg. "nope! we aren't going back to that monster. we move forward now. who is your mate?"

I smiled at her. it felt so right being here with her. "Jacob is my second chance."

her voice rose three pitches higher as she yelled out in surprise. "no way!"Her hands flew to her mouth as she giggled like a school girl. we both laughed as she let it sink in. "oh Angel I'm so happy for both of you." there was a knock at the door and Carla sprang to her feet as she pulled me up off the bed and dragged me to the door. "I want you to meet your niece!"

"I get to meet her?" Carla shook her head at me. a tear slipped from my eye. she opened the door as the sweetest little girl looked up at me. her dimples made my heart melt. she was perfect. the little girl from the lobby."she is beautiful carla." I leaned down to greet her and I held out my hands. Jacob stood close to her not letting her go. i watched as she looked up to him for reassurance. someday I wanted her to be free of her fear and of all the chains put on her in this life. "hello there angel. my name is Angel also. it's so nice to meet you."

she looked at me and reached out to me. recognition in her eyes. "like my auntie Angel? the one that went to see the moon Goddess?"

I looked at Carla then Jacob unsure of what to say. then back to her. the little cherub face gazed back at me. "yes. auntie Angel. I was allowed to come back and I am so glad that I did."

"my mommy and uncle Jacob said that you were special and the the moon Goddess needed you there with her. did she not need you anymore?"

everyone giggled as Jacob led her into the room and shut the door behind him. "I did get to see her and talk with her and she decided that I needed to be here with everyone more than she needed me." she nodded and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck as she kissed my cheek.

tears sprang to my eyes as she skipped towards her mom. Carla was smiling as she grabbed her up. "I need you to promise me to come back again Auntie Angel. this little angel needs you in her life. honey, kiss auntie Angel and uncle Jacob goodnight. we need to lay you down for your nap." ibwatched as she did what she was told and watched as Carla and her daughter walked out of the room. Jacob came to me helping me up holding me close to him.

"I need to make sure their future is safe Jacob. I need to go to the rogues today and gather as much support as I can."

he didn't argue at all or try to make excuses. he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me quickly on the lips. "let's go now. word around is that Christopher has been afflicted with some form of illness and believes his dead wife is alive. I am assuming this has to do with you. we need to hurry." I nodded grabbing my bag and putting my belongings in it.

"I'm ready." making sure the sword of inubis was still wrapped at the bottom of my bag. then we headed out the door on our way to the rogue encampment. life was going to change and no one knew it. they bustled around us like life wasn't hanging in the balance. like evil wasn't lurking at the very corner. Jacob and I made our way to the woods and hid behind a tree as we shifted into our wolves. I fell back into the recesses of her mind allowing her full control. I coukd feel her thrill as she ran alongside her mate. they were bonding and running together as they headed to the rogue town. it would be perfect if it weren't for the impending fight.

we made it to the tree lines near the rogue town and we shifted back to our human forms dressing quickly."this is it? how many are here?"

"this is it. not much but they survive. come on let's go see everyone. only Scott and Damien know I'm alive here. I wanted to keep a low profile to have the element of surprise with Christopher. we need to see who we can gather." I walked out of the tree line and towrds the encampment. two wolves snarled at me as I approached. I recognized them immediately as Scott and Damien as they shifted immediately to their human forms.

"Luna Angel. you are back." they bowed before me.

"Just Angel. I'm no longer Luna. we need help." Scott and Damien nodded and led us to the town. people stopped and stared at us. I was a walking ghost. people whispered and stopped in their tracks as they saw me. people parted as we kept pushing forward.

I heard someone scream my name and feet pounding on the dirt. screaming grew louder as I saw someone from a distance running fast towards us. we all stopped. "Angel!!!"

"mom?" the woman was almost to me arms stretched out and tears dropping from her face. my mother stood there before me. she reached out to touch my face like I would disappear.

"it's you! you're alive!" she embraced me not letting me go. gone was the woman who was refined and put together and before me was a woman who hadn't eaten enough. she wore ragged clothes but she felt different. she felt at peace. a peace I never knew was missing until this moment. my mother pulled back looking me over making sure I was ok and I was really here standing in the flesh.

"it's me mom. I promise." she sobbed out pulling me in once again. the tiny woman had power. I was in her grips and she wasn't letting me go. I looked over at Jacob who stood there unsure of what to do. I think he was still taking everything in afraid himself I would disappear. "you guys I a. back I am not going to vanish into thin air. come on we have plans to make. I need help stopping Christopher."

my mother gasped out in shock as her hand covered her mouth. "what do you mean Angel? you need to stay away from that man. he already killed you once."

it wasn't that I didn't understand where sje was coming from because I did. most people would not go back if given a second chance. I couldn't do that. I didn't have the luxury of running. I needed to finish what ibwas sent back to do and stop Christopher from gaining more power. my only hope was that everyone including my parents would understand and help.