Zach took a deep breath before opening the letter.
He unfolded the papers, and a picture fell.
He leaned over and picked it up.
It unfolded into multiple pictures.
Zach’s breath was caught when he saw the first one.
It was a woman in a hospital gown holding two kids in her arms.
She absolutely looked exhausted.
She was smiling weakly at the camera, leaning slightly so the children’s faces were visible.
Zach teared up, and he covered his face.
He choked back sobs as he went through the pictures.
There were pictures of the kids’ first outing, first steps, first games, and there was even a picture of them with their first significant others.
Zach’s hands shook as he looked upon all the events he’d missed with his kids.
The last photo was a family one.
In it, Sonya was in a wheelchair surrounded by their kids and grandkids.
They were all smiling.
Zach wiped his eyes and silently stored it away.
‘Sonya, you did great.
From what I saw, you were a great mother.
I’m sorry I wasn’t there to be with you.’
Zach wiped his eyes once more before grabbing the letter.
In the letter, Sonya told Zach all about their kids and how she managed life without him.
She told him how much she loved him and how much she wished he was there.
Zach softly smiled, and he read the letter.
He reached the last page, and his heart stopped.
The page held Sonya’s last words to him.
[Zach, I love you more than anything in the Omniverse.
I’ve been informed of what you have become, and I couldn’t feel more loved.
Honestly, it still sends shivers down my spine, but don’t focus on that.]
Zach let a small smile appear before continuing on.
[You kept your word to find me; I always knew you would.
I am sorry.] When Zach read those words, his chest tightened.
[I have been inhabiting Blair’s body her entire life.
I have no idea how or why.
I was told to wait and not to interfere in her life choices, and that my chance to be with you would show itself.]
‘She must mean Blair getting a subsystem.’ [The chance I was waiting for appeared, but I didn’t take it.
I just couldn’t do it.
If I had taken the chance, the girl known as Blair would have ceased to exist entirely.] Zach’s grip on the letter hardened.
[It may sound silly, but she reminds me of our daughter so much that it feels like raising a child again.
You may not understand, and you might hate me for doing so, but I chose to reincarnate.
I won’t remember you or anything about the omniverese, so I won’t be broken-hearted.
Go and live your new life to the fullest.
Find a new love, if not, so be it.
Live your life the way you want to.
I love you, bubble boy.
Best regards, the woman who blew away.]
Zach sat there just blankly staring into space.
No screen, no thoughts, no emotions.
He was dead on the inside.
He numbly folded the letter and put it away.
‘She’s really gone.’
It wasn’t a question; it was a fact.
Even if I see her in a different world or universe, she won’t recognize me.’ Zach pounded the table, making a deep dent.
He stood up and threw it against the wall.
‘Live a life I want!?
The life I wanted was the one that had you in it!’ He slashed his hand down, and a gust of wind chopped three tables in half.
It sent debris flying everywhere.
He was breathing heavily.
‘You were the reason, the whole reason I even chose this life.’ Fred and Blair rushed back upstairs.
Fred had two daggers in his hand, and Blair had a gun in her hand.
They saw Zach in the middle of the room, the center of the wreckage.
Zach was on his knees, tears running down his face.
His hands were clenched to his chest, and he placed his head on the floor.
He whimpered, “…She is gone…I will never see her again…what am I supposed to do now?
What’s the point of me still doing this?”
Fred stepped forward but was stopped by Blair.
She had tears streaming down her face.
“Fred, could you leave us alone for now.
We need to talk about something.” Fred hesitated but nodded his head.
“Be careful with him.
I have never seen anyone like this before.” Blair nodded and waited for Fred to leave.
Blair approached softly.
She whispered to him, “I am sorry for your loss.” Zach stiffened at her voice, but he started to cry again.
She reached for him, but he moved away from her.
She flinched when he did that.
She put her hand in her lap as she sat across from him.
Zach was still steadily crying.
She broke the silence.
“You must’ve really loved her.” Zach sniffled.
“I did.
I loved her more than anyone could possibly imagine.
She was my all, my everything, and now she’s gone.” He said the last part harshly and looked away from her.
Blair wiped away the tears that threatened to fall.
She played with her fingers before speaking.
“You know, I spoke to her for a little bit.” Zach looked at her.
She continued speaking in a soft and thankful tone.
“She could’ve taken over, no problem.
My soul was in chains, and all she needed to do was kill me.
Instead, she released me.
She even told me how sorry she was that her selfishness made me feel that type of pain.”
Zach smiled.
“Yeah, that sounds like her.
She was always the nice one, the funny one, the kind one, the…” His voice broke, and he started to cry again.
Blair nodded.
“She told me about you.
How much pain you went through and how miserable you were.
She told me about Henrick and Eliza.”
Zach sniffled and wiped his nose.
“I will forever be grateful for what she has done.
For what she sacrificed.
There is nothing I could ever do to repay you both.” Zach didn’t say anything.
Blair sighed.
“When we are young, we think with our hearts
As we grow, our hearts become cold like winter
Fret not, for here comes the sun
It will banish the cold and welcome a new season
With the changing of seasons comes renewal
This is just another season, Zach
Don’t let it beat you.”
Zach was silent and then chuckled lightly.
He looked up and sighed.
Blair watched him.
“She always knew what words to say.” He looked at Blair.
“It’s going to be a long time before I can look or talk to you without thinking of her.”
Blair smiled awkwardly.
“Understandable.” She stood up and dusted herself off.
She looked at Zach, “Now what?” Zach took a deep breath.
“Now we go home, now we plan, and most importantly, move forward.
As for you and me?
Sorry, it’s not going to work out besides the obvious reason.
I’m still 23 in spirit at least, so no offense, but I would feel weird if we were to actually date.”
Blair smiled dejectedly, “I figured as much.
What do we tell Fred?” Zach groaned and kicked a table into a wall.
“I will talk to Fred.
For now, let’s get out of here.
Blair nodded but then stopped.
“What about the mess?” Zach waved his hand.
“Don’t worry about it, the formation will make them good as new by tomorrow.” They reached the first floor and saw Fred waiting for them.
“Everything ok?” Zach shook his head.
“Not a chance in the omniverse, little birdie.
Things won’t be ok for a while, but I will get there.
We have to have a talk one of these days.
Perferbly over alcohol.” They walked out of the sanctuary and found that it was almost morning.
Blair and Fred quickly said their goodbyes.
Zach shrugged and looked around.
‘I am exhausted.’ He sank into the earth and, a few minutes later, was in his backyard.
He quietly jumped to his window and opened it.
He lay in bed staring at the ceiling before dozing off.
The last thought he had was not very pleasing.
‘Crap, I never texted my grandparents.
I am totally in trouble when I wake up.’ Sleep overcame him, pulling him into its arms.
Somewhere in an undisclosed location.
“Did we figure out who the hell killed Henderson?” A man with white hair and a scar on his face asked.
A guy who was a little overweight and wore glasses responded.
“No, sir, we haven’t.” The scarred man slammed his fist on the table.
“You are telling me with all the damn cameras around, not ONE of them caught something on tape!?” The man swallowed.
“Maybe the person who did it is just really lucky?” The man backed away.
“OR the bastard is sneaky and plotting to slice more people into ribbons!
I don’t give a damn what it takes, find them, damn it!”
Quick Shoutout to Dark_Spyder for the stones!
IT MEANS A LOT