Significance - Chapter Twenty Seven

I'd known it was coming. I'd known he wouldn't just believe us but it still hurt to see his disappointment. He thought I was gullible and naïve. That I'd let them dupe me into believing this crazy scheme. He was scared for me. He was thinking that he needed to call the police again - for a restraining order this time. He was worried that they'd take me or I'd run away with them if he threw a fit so he tried to remain calm, for my sake.

"Think of something," I told him and winced again as he bombarded me. "Think one thing," I clarified quickly.

He sighed and pursed his lips, clearly not wanting to continue but humoring me, thinking he'd prove me wrong. He thought of the time he was teaching me to ride my bike and I crashed into the back of mom's car, scratching the bumper in the process, but I also scratched my forehead. I still had a scar on my hairline.

She had been worried about the car. He had been worried about me.

"You always worried about me," I said softly remembering everything. "We should have seen the signs about mom back then. We should have realized something was wrong with her, that she wasn't happy. What kind of mom cares more about her bumper than her kid?"

Dad's jaw fell open and he looked at me with bordering fright.

"It's ok, Dad."

He reigned in and his features were replaced with a flat expression. He never took his eyes from me. He lifted an eyebrow in contest and thought again some things to test me. He wasn't giving in that easy. His first thought...

What's my birthday?

"Dec 24th."

His eyes went wide, but he kept going.

What's the capital of Georgia?

"Atlanta."

His face got even more determined.

What's two plus two?"

"Six." His brow lifted higher. "I'm kidding dad. It's four."

Who's the thirty second president?

"Come on, Dad. I wouldn't know that answer even if you asked me out loud."

He covered his mouth and chin with his hand and continued to look at me. His eyes softened a little. I saw it happen before his thoughts hit me. He believed me. How could he not after that demonstration? But that didn't mean he was thrilled about it. He blamed Caleb for doing this to me.

"So, this is your fault?" His eyes left me for the first time in five minutes and he turned his gaze to Caleb. He scowled furiously. "You knew this would happen, that she'd be a freak and you did it anyway?"

"Dad," I said sharply and he looked back at me. "This isn't his fault, he had no control-"

"But he knew what he was. He shouldn't have ever touched you if that was the case. You don't belong to this life. You're not like them and now, you'll never be the same." He shook his head and in his mind he decided he wouldn't go quietly into the night about this. He was gonna let me have it. "And now, look at you. Following his lead and listening to every little sweet nothing he says just because you think you're stuck with him for life? Well, I'll figure something out, to break or stop this...this imprint thing. You don't have to be a freak against your will-"

"I'm going to stop you right there," I shouted. "Caleb and I imprinted. I know you were listening to Peter, I can see your thoughts, Dad, so don't act like now you didn't hear him. You know that we didn't choose this, it happened to us. It's not something you can control. My abilities didn't come until a couple days ago; they've had nothing to do with Caleb and I up until now. And I'm not a freak and neither are they."

"Maggie." He leaned forward and grabbed my free hand. "They knew this would happen to you and they let it. You're a sweet, young, pretty girl and they just-"

"No. Stop."

"You don't even know him that well. You're not ready for-"

"Dad-" I cut in and jerked my hand away but he didn't stop.

"-something like this yet. You've barely graduated high school and now you're supposed to be someone's soul mate? I don't fully understand all of what you're telling me, and I know that there's still things I haven't heard yet but-"

"Dad."

"I understand enough about relationships to know that you can't just base it on feelings and pressure-"

"You're not listening to me," I blurted loudly and he finally stopped his plight. "It's not about whether you think I'm a freak or gullible or naïve or even if I'm ready. I love him, Daddy."

He slumped in defeat and slid to kneel on the floor in front of the couch.

"I always knew you were serious when you called me Daddy," he admitted and I went to the floor, too, on my knees. He looked at me. "So, this is it? You're leaving me," he phrased it as a statement, not a question, like he knew my answer already.

"No, that's why I wanted to tell you. It's really rare for humans to imprint with Aces. They don't have to deal with this very often but they were willing to risk telling you, for my sake, so that I could keep you. Do you understand? I can't be without Caleb without it hurting me, and even if I could I wouldn't want to. But I want to be with you too."

He took a deep breath.

"It's not fair. It's not fair that I have to just take a backseat and watch someone else have you."

I laughed softly.

"That's what happens, Dad. Did you think I'd never leave home? Never move out? Never go to college? Never get married?"

He cracked the first small smile.

"Yes. Yes, I did think that."

Peter chuckled behind Dad and it was like my dad realized then that we weren't alone. He looked over at Caleb for a long time. Then he smiled again and so did I reading his mind.

"It's mostly my fault, but my daughter hasn't been happy in a very long time, until now. I saw it but..." he shook his head, "I didn't want to believe it was over a boy. I can't deny that as much as I might not like how young she is, that she's happy with you."

Caleb nodded and looked down at our still intertwined hands.

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to take her away from you. I just want her to be happy."

"I know." Dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he turned a forced smile on Peter. "So, your whole family has these...abilities? You all get married for life? Everyone?"

"Yes," Peter answered, "but, like I said, Caleb and Maggie are the first to imprint in a very long time and Maggie's gift is rare and coveted. I'm not sure what it all means, I won't lie, but it's something good."

Dad looked back to me and blew a long breath. "College now?"

"Well," Peter interrupted, "first things first. We need to make sure that the echoling is actually going to stop. That Marcus will stop."

"But I thought you said you took care of it?" Dad asked.

"We did but we can't just call the police like humans can when we have a problem. The only way to truly take care of it is to kill him. I...will if I have to, but I'd rather not resort to that unless it comes to it."

Dad looked scandalized but kept his composure. In his mind he was wondering if he could ask someone to do that; kill someone - take a life, for me.

"Ok, what do we have to do?" Dad asked with a new resolve.

"Well...I think if Caleb and Maggie get out of town for a while it would be best while I monitor the Watsons. The further away from the echoling she is, the less chance he has of reaching her."

"But I thought you said if they slept-" Dad choked on the word and cleared his throat. "Slept together - were together at night - that he couldn't harm her."

"He can't, but he's already tried a kidnap attempt here at your house once before."

"What!"

"It's all right. Maggie handled it, but I think it's just best if we send them away for a while."

"Maggie handled it? What does that mean?" my dad said and looked between us all.

"My family has many gifts, Jim. Maggie will attain many herself, self defense being one of them. She fought the two of them off until Caleb was able to get to her."

"What? Get to her?"

"Yes."

"You saved her...twice?" Dad said and looked at Caleb with an awe I only hoped I would see and I felt my eyes water.

"It was only fair," Caleb said and winked at me, "she saved me first."

"I can't believe this." Dad scrubbed his face with his hands and then fiddled with the top button of his shirt. "All this time I resented you two spending so much time together and you were saving her... I really wish you had told me then, Maggie, at the beginning."

"I didn't have my ability then, Dad. You never would have believed me."

"You're right," he laughed sadly, "I wouldn't have. Where are we sending these two?" my father conceded gruffly.

"Somewhere out west," Peter suggested.

"Arizona," I blurted out.

I peeked back at Caleb and saw a grateful little smile. He knew I wanted to go there because he wanted to go to school there. He'd never been and I wanted him to see it. He spoke to me and I could feel the love attached to the words in warmth and tingles.

I love you.

I know. I love you, too.

"Arizona, huh?" Dad tried to process everything. Me in Arizona, anywhere really, with my soul mate and not him and every scenario brought bad outcomes and pregnancies and shotguns and Vegas weddings. I couldn't help but laugh. He looked up at me and twisted his lips. "I forgot about your ability already," he muttered.

"Dad." I pulled from Caleb and went to hug my father around his neck. "I'm not going to do anything stupid." I pulled back to sit on my heels and look at him. "I know this isn't ideal but it wouldn't matter if I'd met Caleb now or at thirty. It would be the same for me, but, even with that, I know what I'm ready for and not ready for."

"You were always so smart." He chuckled then took a shuddering breath. "Look at me. If you run off and get married in some justice of the peace's office or make me a grandpa before I'm gray, I will not forgive you."

Everyone laughed again and I felt like bursting with happy tears.

"Deal, Dad."

"Deal."

He hugged me tightly and then stood, pulling me with him and although in his mind he believed everything we'd said, he was still wrapping his thoughts around it all. He was ready for bed, to be alone and think.

"Ok," he looked between Caleb and me, "you knew, from the very beginning, from the first time you brought him here, that you were...were..." he sighed and gripped his neck, "imprinted?" He finally got it out and I nodded. He nodded back. "Ok. No more sneaking. No more lying. No more secrets."

"Yeah, Dad," I said as Caleb said, "Yes, sir."

"Now, uh... How about you two sleep on the sofa tonight. I may be coming to terms with all this, but I'm still your father."

"Ok, Dad, that's fine," I said amused. I turned to Peter and reached up to hug him. "Thank you for coming for me." He hugged me tightly, just like my own father had.

You're family now and we love you. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I smiled through tears but held them back from falling to my cheeks. Caleb said goodbye to his father and then while Dad and Peter were saying theirs, Caleb laced his fingers through mine. I looked at him and he was watching me with a smile.

Are you happy?

Yes. Thank you for this. He took it better than I thought. I know my dad's a little nuts , but he'll keep your secret- Our secret, I corrected.

He put his forehead to mine and rubbed my arm from elbow to wrist.

I know he will. I just want to you to be happy, whatever that is.

You. Me. Alone. Arizona.

He laughed out loud and started to frame my face with his hands but looked over to see our fathers watching, not hearing our internal interlude. He smiled bashfully at me and turned to wave at his father as he left.

"Ok, kids," Dad said and rubbed his hands together, "I'm going to bed." He hesitated. "I'll come check on you guys later," he said hurriedly and I heard his thoughts.

"Dad, I promise you we will be fine. We'll sleep on the couch, nothing else, and won't runaway into the sunset before you can get up."

He laughed ruggedly.

"Ok, ok." He hugged me. "Night, baby girl." And he said it like he always had. Not like I was a freak or different but like I was his daughter and always would be, no matter what. Then he shook Caleb's hand. "Night, son. Thanks again and uh...I'm sorry, for what I said to you before-"

"No need, sir, it's forgotten. Good night."

Dad left and I could have collapsed right there. It was like it all hit me at once and I sat down swiftly on the couch.

"I need a shower," I muttered and yawned.

"Not tonight. Sleep first."

"Wait." I stopped him and held his cheek in my hand. "Your face. Marcus punched you."

"Barely," he scoffed. "It'll be fine," he assured.

"Let me heal you."

"You've been through enough tonight-" But I just closed my eyes, put my hand on his jaw and focused, hearing him sigh in defeat.

I wasn't sure what I was doing or how to but somehow my body knew just what to do. My body felt suddenly heavy as if I was weighed down and then my hand...I could feel me drawing it out of him, like a magnet; the pain, the blood, the bruises. It all went in me and then through me. Then it was over. I opened my eyes to see his jaw was no longer pink.

I smiled in triumph.

"Happy now, doctor?" he smirked.

"Yes."

He pulled the afghan off the recliner and I didn't have the strength to argue as he gently urged me to lay down, then slid beside me and pulled the blanket over us, wrapping his arms around me and tucking my head under his chin. My body practically sighed.

Sleep, Maggie. No worries tonight.

No worries. Ok. Thanks for coming for me.

I'll always come for you. I'll always find you, I told you, you're everything now, Maggie. I love you so much.

He squeezed me as he spoke to me in my mind and I felt that he hadn't really gotten to relax and just feel his relief of my being found yet. He was shaking with the release of it all now, finally taking his turn to relax.

I leaned back and reached up to press my lips to his. His happiness and relief coursed through me. When I closed my eyes I saw the energy ribbons bouncing around us but when I opened them, nothing was there. He kissed me back gently and caressed my cheek with his fingers, pushing my hair behind my ear, raking his fingers through it.

I missed this, I told him as he continued to kiss away all my troubles.

Me, too. Me more, I think.

I laughed against his lips. He gave me one last kiss on my lips, then on my forehead.

Sleep, sweetheart. There'll be plenty of time for that later.

I love you.

I love you.

~ ~ ~

So it turned out, Arizona was not where we were headed. Apparently there was an uncle I still hadn't met who had a vacation beach house in California. Ugh. Just the thought of being in the same state that my mom had fled to made me want to hurl.

We were woke up the next morning by Peter as he came over early. He and my dad had all the details worked out before we even got up. I apparently needed the sleep because we slept on that couch soundly until 11:00 in the morning.

I remember feeling warm and absolutely content. My body zinged with energy and happiness as I slowly came out of sleep. I opened my eyes to see Peter over me with a smile as he shook Caleb gently. I could see Caleb and I hadn't moved an inch during the night, awaking in exactly the same position as we'd fallen asleep in.

Caleb opened his eyes then and looked at me first. The smile that crept to his cheeks was illuminating. Then he saw his dad and his expression went back to neutral.

"Oh. Hey, Dad," Caleb muttered.

Peter looked amused.

"Oh. It's good to see you, too, son." He leaned up and nodded his head to the kitchen. "Come on you two. We've got a lot to talk about."

He made his way that direction, I heard his thoughts about the beach house and our flight leaving that night as he left. I looked back at Caleb.

"Did you sleep ok?" I asked.

"You know I did. It's impossible to sleep without you now."

I nodded and pushed the thoughts of the fitful and painful sleep I'd had at the Watsons away. He pulled my face back up with a finger under my chin.

"Don't think about that anymore. That's all behind us." He kissed my forehead. "Now, go take a shower and I'll see what these two clowns want," he joked. "I'll grab a shower down here if your dad doesn't mind."

"Ok."

I didn't need any more convincing. He helped me up and I ran upstairs. I was shocked at the amount of energy I had. I felt like a completely different person.

As much as I wanted to just sit in the shower for hours, I knew they were waiting for me so I hurried through a hot one and went to get dressed in my room. As I took my towel off in front of my mirror I did a double take.

That was not me. I looked like a woman. I remembered after the ascension how Caleb had subtle changes to him that I'd noticed but I hadn't seen myself then at all nor since then. I had no idea what I had looked like yesterday, all matted and dirty but today, clean and brushed, I barely recognized myself.

My cheek bones were slightly more defined. My hair was shiny and a little longer. My upper arms were still soft but I could see the muscles more clearly. I felt stronger. My stomach and legs were a little slimmer and the, uh, womanly parts of me were - well - more womanly.

I leaned closer to the mirror and examined my face. My eyelashes were longer and fuller. My face was completely clear. My complexion tan and glowing, making my freckles stand out more, but for some reason it looked good on me. My green eyes looked like sea weed swirls with dark and light.

I wondered why my dad hadn't noticed the changes last night. Maybe the changes weren't as noticeable as I thought. I did see myself everyday; I would notice them more than someone else. I shrugged, knowing it was all caused by the ascension, I just didn't know why, so I didn't worry about it right then.

I put on a jean skirt and my coral tank. I had no idea what we were doing today, so I just put on something comfortable. I slid on my silver hoop earrings. My charm bracelet had been taken from me at the Watsons along with my phone. I missed it already. I put on a long necklace Dad had given me a couple years ago for Christmas. It was a jumble of charms on the end: a heart, a cross, a circle swirl, a quarter moon, a dangle of gems. I'd always loved it, but had stopped wearing it this past year because I was so angry with him.

I padded my way barefoot down the stairs and stopped by the kitchen door. I could hear them talking about me. Caleb must have taken a quick shower.

"So, sleeping with you not only keeps her safe from someone hurting her in her dreams, you anchor her or whatever, but also makes her physically feel good in the morning?"

"Yeah, we both do. We energize each other, with...skin contact, we heal each other." I could tell Caleb was uncomfortable by his tone, but didn't know if Dad could sense it or not.

"Huh." My dad got a thought and I almost burst in to stop him, but waited. "Wait. Did you heal Maggie already? Did they hurt her and you healed her before you brought her home?"

"Um. Well," Caleb started but Peter stepped in to elaborate.

"When someone touches her - any of our women - who means them harm, it leaves an offense mark, an almost burned looking handprint wherever they touch them. Maggie's skin also shocks them, kind of, to warn them that they don't have the right to harm her. It hurts them to touch her, even through clothes. The significant can remove the mark when they touch once they are ascended. The marks, they don't harm her just to make her very tired, they drain her energy. When we found Maggie, she had quite a few of these handprints on her and Caleb did heal her. That's one reason we're so worried about the echoling. See, he can hurt her in her dreams. She can receive an echo, an offense mark or other injury that occurs in a dream. My grandmother healed her of some of these injuries before."

"Gah, I can't believe all this was going on the whole time right behind my back and I never thought to be suspicious. So this guy is after Maggie because of you?" Dad asked but his tone was easy, he wasn't accusing, just asking.

"Well, in a sense, yes, and I'm sorry about that. See, they would have gone after anyone in our clan who imprinted in this day because it hasn't happened in so long. It just happened that Maggie was it."

"So, Maggie has met your grandmother?"

"Maggie's met the whole family," Caleb explained softly. "I brought her over the day after our imprint to explain everything to her. To let her see my family so she wouldn't be afraid and ask any questions she had."

"Huh."

I heard a tongue clicking.

"Well," my dad continued, "I'd love to meet them, too."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Peter said. "I explained to them last night that we told you everything and they are anxious to meet you."

"Really? Ready to string me up by my ankles?"

Peter guffawed, the one he did when he was truly enjoying himself. His thoughts confirmed it.

"Ah, no. My family is very...affectionate. They love Maggie and can't wait to meet you. I told them I'd try to talk you into coming over for lunch before we send these two off tonight."

"Sounds good," Dad said but he was freaking out.

His thoughts were scared.

A house full of people with abilities. Hmmm. And Maggie has met them all. All these things she was keeping from me. But it's not like I deserved to know. I was barely a father two weeks ago. Now she's growing up too fast. Way, way too fast. She's leaving me, starting tonight.

I decided to make my entrance. I came slowly around the door frame and saw three sets of eyes widen and three mouths drop.