New Life
54

Sam woke up with Serena still holding her head to his chest. She was still sleeping so he didn’t move. The sun had just come up and the girls were still sleeping quietly in their room. He looked down at Serena’s face and pulled her close to him. “It’s good to have you back…” Sam whispered in Serena’s ear.
“Sam…” Serena opened her eyes slowly and looked up at Sam. Her eyes were still and lifeless like before, but they were filled with love. It seemed odd that though her eyes were as dark as they were, they could be so warm and full of happiness.
“Good morning sleepy head.” Sam kissed Serena on the forehead. “How did you sleep?”
Serena didn’t say anything, but she smiled.
Sam smiled back at her. “Good, I’m glad you were able to sleep.” He got up and threw on a shirt and some pants. “Now let’s find you some pants and a shirt.” He walked over to the closet and was surprised to find it would barley open. “I guess it’s been a while since I opened this door.” The closet was where all of Serena’s things had been kept. “I can’t seem to….get it…open.” Sam pulled as hard as he could but couldn’t get it to budge.
Serena got out of bed slowly and before Sam knew she was there Serena reached down and pulled back the locking mechanism that held the door in place. “Locked…”
Sam looked down at Serena in awkward amazement. “Y-you remembered the lock I put on the door?”
“Brail…Emerald…safe…” Serena looked up and over at the door.
Sam looked Serena in the eye. “What do you remember about your life here?”
“Everything…” Serena looked around reached out for a pair of pants and a shirt.
Sam sighed. “Well I guess until we get that last part of your soul back to your body, I’ll have to help you.” He grabbed the close from Serena’s hands and walked her over to the bathroom.

(30 minutes later)
“Hey guys.” Sam walked down the stairs with Serena following close behind.
Cassie and the others were all sitting around watching something on TV. “Serena!” Cassie smiled and ran over to Serena as she stepped off of the stairs. “Come sit with me.” She was caught off guard when Serena put her arms around her neck and pulled her close.
“I missed you Cass…” Serena refused to let go and held her grip on Cassie.
Cassie smiled and picked Serena up. “I missed you more Hun.” She walked over to the couch and fought tears as she sat down.
Serena sat up and looked around. “Auntari…Sprx…Otto…Gibson…Nova…Chiro…Kay…” Serena pointed everyone out and stopped. “Fran?”
“She’s gone for a while, but she’ll be back soon.” Kay smiled at Serena.
“Now if only I could find the remote.” Sprx was up looking high and low.
Gibson and the others groaned. “That’s like the tenth one you’ve lost this year!”
Serena got up and looked around.
“What is she doing?”Sam and the others watched as Serena walked around the room and one by one picked a remote out of several different spots in the living room.
“Sh-she just found all of the remote controls we’ve ever lost…in under an hour!” Gibson counted all of the remotes.
“No…theirs one more she hasn’t found.” Otto looked down at the pile of remotes in the center of the room.
Serena looked around and then up. She quietly made her way up the stairs and over to the balcony that overlooked the living room. She eyed the chandelier.
Everyone looked up at the chandelier and noticed the small thin piece of gray plastic suspended in her center of it.
“Serena…don’t even think about it!” Sam was a little late on the warning and Serena jumped from the balcony and grabbed the chandelier. “Serena!”
Serena sat still long enough to grab the remote and then…she let go and began to fall.
“Serena!” Sam jumped and grabbed her in mid air. “What were you thinking?!” You could have gotten hurt!”
Serena looked at the remote in her hands. “Remote…”
Sam and the others couldn’t help themselves. Everyone started laughing.
“What was a remote doing on the chandelier?!” Nova couldn’t stop laughing, and her sides started to hurt.
Sprx blushed. “I-I don’t know.”
Serena laughed a little bit. “Fixing the light!”
Everyone stopped laughing.
“How did you know we did repair work on the chandelier?” Otto looked around at the group.
“I was always here…never leave you…romised.” Serena smiled and some of the light returned to her eyes.
“Serena…” Cassie just stood looking at Serena in amazement. “You kept your promise to me…”
“So…you were always watching us? Everything?” Chiro folded his arms in confusion.
“I believe I understand.” Auntari looked over at Serena. “She tied a portion of her soul to all of us…whatever we’ve done or seen for the last 2 years she remembers as if she were there.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment.
“Her eyes are more alive.” Sam smiled and sat down with Serena on the couch.
Everyone leaned in to get a better view.
“They are.” Nova smiled and looked Serena in the eye.
Serena smiled. “Emerald and Brail are awake…”
Emerald walked down the stairs and rubbed her eyes. “Daddy…I don’t feels good.”
Sam couldn’t react fast enough. Serena was already up and walking to Emerald.
“Come with me...” Serena picked emerald up and carried her up the stairs followed by Sam.
Emerald smiled. “I rememba you…you is my mommy.” She hugged Serena around the neck tightly. “You sang that pwetty song for me and sister.”
Serena smiled. “I love you...”
“I love you too mommy…” Emerald was asleep again in moments.
Sam stood at the door of the room in total shock. “They remember her from that long ago…but how…?”