Chapter 10

Clint's P.O.V

I wake up to a hushed, eerie silence. My gaze shifts upwards, and I notice that the fire we had built is nothing but smouldering embers now, casting faint orange glows on the surrounding darkness. Bea, however, is nowhere in sight. A wave of confusion washes over me as I stand, my senses heightened. A charred trail of burnt grass catches my attention, leading ominously towards the dense woods.

What the hell is going on?

I follow the trail cautiously, each step sending a shudder of unease through me as the familiar sounds of the forest become distant. The path winds deeper into the woods, and soon I find myself standing at the edge of the lake, its surface reflecting the pale light of the moon.

There, at the water's edge, stands Bea. Her form is haunting—her body appears almost translucent, ethereal. Dark, viscous gloop slips off her ghostly figure, pooling on the bank below. Green flames flicker and dance across her body, illuminating her face, twisted in what looks like anguish. Flowers entwine through her hair, writhing like serpents, adding to the surreal agony of the scene. Heart pounding, I approach her slowly, my hands outstretched in a gesture of comfort.

Suddenly, she turns to face me with a quick, jerky movement that makes me jump back, a surge of dizziness washing over me. I shut my eyes, willing myself to regain my balance. When I finally open them, I find her still floating, still spectral, but now her cheeks are stained with tears—blood tears. The gloop has vanished; the flames have extinguished, leaving only the flowers, which now lie motionless in her hair. She looks hollow, lifeless.

Warily, I reach out and take her hand, desperate to pull her back towards the sheltering embrace of the tree line. With my other hand, I fumble for my phone, but panic wraps around me like a vice when I see the dreaded "No Signal" message flashing on the screen. "Oh, come on! We are not that deep in the forest, are we?" My eyes dart around, seeking a solution. "Think, Clint! Signal... Tree!"

I wave my hand across Bea's face, hoping for any sign of her return, but she remains unresponsive. "Bea? Please wake up." Frustration bubbles within me, and I make a snap decision. I begin to climb the nearest tree, glancing down frequently to ensure she hasn't wandered off into the shadows.

Reaching the top, I pull my phone out again, heart racing as I see two bars flash on the screen. Yes! With trembling fingers, I dial Steve's number. "Come on, pick up. Pick up!"

"Hello?" Steve answers, his voice thick with concern.

"Hey, it's Clint," I reply, urgency palpable in my tone.

"Clint! Where the hell are you? We've been trying to contact you for days!"

"Days? You have?" I can hear Nat and Bruce in the background, their voices overlapping with questions.

"Yeah! Have you seen Bea? She's disappeared!"

"Yeah, she's with me." The statement comes out half-hearted; I can sense the confusion through the phone.

"Who's with you?" Nat's voice cuts through.

"She is with him," Steve confirms, relaying my predicament.

"We're on our way!" Nat replies, relief mingling with disbelief.

"Hold up! What do you mean she's been missing for days?" My heart races as I try to piece together the timeline.

"Look, after this weird incident, Bea wouldn't leave her room. Only recently did we figure out she was missing." Nat's voice quivers through the receiver.

"Wait, weird incident? You mean her wandering off, covered in green fire and looking like a ghost?"

"Exactly," Steve agrees, concern thickening his voice.

"Bruce and Vision found her late one night, and a few moments later, she woke up." Tony interjects, his tone practical but laced with worry.

"Great, but she hasn't woken up now! The fire is gone, but she's still...still in this state."

"What do you mean?" Steve asks, confusion echoing in his tone.

"Normally, she hurries to wake up after these episodes!"

"Clint, she's done this before," Steve reminds me, his voice steady, but I feel a tightening in my chest.

"Yeah, it happens every couple of years or so." But just as I look down, I see her figure has vanished from my sight. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?"

"She's gone!" I shoot back, panic flooding my veins.

"What do you mean? I thought you said you were with her!"

"Right now, I'm high up in this tree because there's no bloody signal! I'm putting my tracker to use, find me. Bye!" I hang up before they can respond, adrenaline taking over as I scramble down the tree.

Once my feet hit the ground, I spot another burnt trail leading back towards the house, a sense of dread pooling in my stomach.

No, no, no.

I sprint towards the house, the frantic thudding of my heart echoing in my ears. "Where is Bea? Have you seen her?" I call out breathlessly as I rush past familiar trees.

Laura looks up, concern etched on her face. "No. What is going on?"

"I'm fine!" I snap, urgency overriding my manners.

"Daddy! Look what we found!" Nathaniel's voice cuts through my worries. I turn to see him and Cooper holding a small bucket filled with green and black stones, the sight sending a chill down my spine.

"Where did you get this?" I ask, fear creeping into my tone.

"Bea! She threw some of her gloop into the water!" they exclaim in unison, their eyes wide with excitement.

"WHAT?! Where is she?" My voice rises in panic. They point towards the pond, and I bolt outside, my heart racing.

I spot Bea and Lila near the pond. "Stay here!" I shout to Laura as I run toward them, urgency propelling me forward. Lila is too close to Bea, who is still floating, that dark gloop and the green flames crackling around her.

"Lila, get away!" I urge, but she doesn't move. Instead, she grasps her necklace, brimming with resolve, and places a hand on Bea.

In an instant, a blinding light engulfs both of them. I hear Bea scream, the sound reverberating through the air like a ghostly echo.

As abruptly as it started, the light disappears, and I rush forward, finding Lila on the ground, shaking an unconscious Bea. She looks serene, almost peaceful, but her pallor sends dread surging through me.

"She can't be dead..."

"Dad! I'm sorry! I couldn't save her!" Lila sobs, her voice breaking my heart.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay." I wrap my arms around her, trying to soothe her fears while my own throb with panic.

Laura rushes over, her hands trembling as she checks Bea's pulse. "She's alive," she breathes out in disbelief.

"What?" I gasp, hope igniting within me.

"Barely," she murmurs, her brow furrowing in concern.

My heart sinks as the weight of the moment bears down on us—all I can do is hold my family close, praying for Bea's recovery.

Lila's P.O.V

Mum and Dad have been huddled in the kitchen for over two hours now. What could be taking them so long? Pressing my head against the cool wooden door, I strain to catch snippets of their conversation, but all I can hear are muffled voices.

"Is she dangerous?" a voice asks, sharp and cautious.

"No, of course not," Dad quickly responds, though his tone carries an undertone of uncertainty.

"Can we trust her?" the voice pushes further.

"Of course," Dad insists again, but the hesitation whispers uncomfortably beneath his words.

"Why did she come here?"

"She finds it safe," he replies, and the gravity of the situation feels tangible, wrapping around me like a thick fog.

"Why didn't we know about her past until now?" the voice presses, demanding answers.

"Fury didn't think it was for the best," Dad admits, a hint of exhaustion seeping into his voice.

"Has she done this before?" the voice continues, clarifying the stakes.

"Yes," Dad replies.

"When?"

I can hear my dad trying to defend her, but he sounds so weary, almost defeated. Why can't they see that Bea is harmless? She couldn't hurt a fly, even if she tried. My thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a sharp cough echoing from upstairs. Oh no, is Nathaniel awake?

I dash up the staircase, but as I reach the landing, I realise the sound is coming from Bea's room, not Nathaniel's. Heart racing, I creep toward her door, careful to avoid the creaky floorboards that have betrayed me before.

As I turn into the dimly lit bedroom, a familiar scene unfolds before me: Bea's room is still adorned with her beloved plants, a verdant sanctuary filled with life. Koda, her loyal dog, lies protectively atop her feet. But next to her, I spot a tall man cloaked in black, an eye patch obscuring one of his eyes. He sits with his back toward me, holding Bea's frail hand in his large one.

I make my way around the bed to get a better look. As I do, he lifts his head and turns to face me.

"Sorry," he says, his voice deep but softened by the moment.

"No, it's okay, Lila," he responds, recognising me with ease.

"You know my name?" I question, surprise flickering over my features.

"I work with your father," he explains, his tone measured.

"And Bea? What's your connection with her?" I press, feeling an instinctive bond with my friend.

"Bea and I, well, our relationship is complicated," he replies, a shadow casting over his expression. I nod, though his words leave me puzzled.

"Is she awake?" I ask, anxiously searching Bea's face for any sign of consciousness.

"No," he answers gently, a look of sadness in his eye as he gazes at her.

"Then you're him," I say suddenly, realisation dawning upon me.

"Who?" he asks, confusion lining his face.

"You're her Nick," I elaborate, my heart racing.

"Her Nick?" he inquires, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

"You're the one who protects her from her darkness," I clarify, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Her darkness?" he echoes, intrigued.

"She says she can feel a darkness creeping in when she's away from nature for too long, especially in the city," I explain fervently.

"She told you that?" he questions, a mixture of surprise and concern flickering in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter that we aren't related; she's like my sister. We share everything," I say, a smile brightening my face despite the tension in the room.

"Can I sit?" I ask him, hoping to bridge the gap between us.

"Yes, of course. I was just leaving," he replies.

"No," I interject, my smile returning. "You shouldn't leave; she'll want to see your face."

He steps back closer to Bea, although he remains standing—guarded, without a trace of emotion.

"What else does she say about me?" he inquires, a faint curiosity tugging at his lips.

"She says you're the strongest person she has ever met, and you're the only one capable of protecting her from herself," I respond, the weight of those words hanging in the air.

"She told you that?" he asks, a flicker of concern passing across his features.

"No, but I can read between the lines. She hates using her powers too much—"

"Lila." Bea's voice cuts through the tension, rough yet warm. She coughs again, trying to shake off the remnants of her exhaustion. "Spilling all my secrets, are you?" she teases, a smile spreading across her face.

I rush to her side and wrap her in a tight embrace, breathing in relief. "Bea, I was so worried!" I murmur.

"Nick," she greets him, her voice softer now, laced with affection.

"Bea. You scared us—me," he admits, vulnerability slipping into his tone as he watches her.

She smiles faintly, and I see her grasp his hand, squeezing it gently as if to instil strength between them.

In an instant, she sits up, and it's as if a spell has been lifted. The pallor that had shadowed her features dissipates, her skin taking on an inviting glow, as if she has just emerged from a deep dream.

"Lila, thank you for helping me with my transformation. I told you it would help," she says, nodding toward the crystal that hangs around my neck, its soothing energy still resonating.

"What time is it?" she asks, glancing at me with a flicker of concern.

"It's 9 PM," I answer, still somewhat stunned by the sudden transformation.

"You should head to your room. I can tell you're not supposed to be up," she suggests, her tone gentle but firm.

I nod and turn to leave, my heart still racing from the whirlwind of emotions and revelations, feeling the weight of the world shift just slightly as I make my way back to my room.