Imperium: Volume 2
Chapter 22.

I'm not sure if anyone else would have understood why I did it, but I understood why she did what she did. All that I know is that June can't find out.

What Anja told me, scared the shit out of me, and if she was telling the truth, June cant ever know. I must protect her at all costs. Richard would want me to keep it that way.

I closed in on the infirmary, and I stopped in front of the outlet. I couldn't move forward. I froze.

"J......June."

She was sitting next to her father who was on the table, with a sheet drawn up to his face. He wasn't hooked up to any machines nor heart monitor, and the room was too quite.

He.......he was gone.

I saw Rowen consoling Sarah in the corner who broke down, and he was holding her close to him.

I watched as June quietly stood up and pulled the sheet to cover his face. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I saw her expressionless face make its way past me.

I don't even know if she saw me. She looked as if she were heading towards our room. I looked back to Sarah, who looked pissed. She walked towards me, and pulled my arm and led me out of the outlet.

"S....Sarah. I should go-"

"You fucking let her go?" She interrupted.

"Sarah, alot has happened but I need you to calm down." I placed her hands on each side of my head and I replayed the past hours events in my head.

Her gaze was down to the side, but she was taking in the information. Once it was finished she slowly removed her hands and let them fall to her sides.

She was thinking of something. I could see the wheels turning but wasn't sure what was processing through her head.

"This confirms my suspicions." She said as she started pacing back and forth.

"You knew." I stated.

"Yes. But I needed something to validate my findings." She looked up to me. "Raeve, she can't know. If she finds out what they want her for, this could be the end to us all."

"Maybe we should tell her. We can keep her as far away as possible." I suggested.

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"No....right now we have to talk her down. She just lost her dad to them, and right now she wants blood. This is the last thing we want. We don't want her running into the lions den." She quickly responded.

"What do we do?" I asked.

"Just be there for her. She needs someone she trusts, and you've been her rock since the very beginning. Whatever you do, don't tell her about this, especially Anja. I'll tell Jay you didn't find anything, and went straight to June."

I nodded. "Thank you Sarah...." I started walking away before I turned back to her. "Kipsky can't know."

She nodded, and I took my leave.

The aisles at this point were jammed packed with people from home base. It was too crowded to walk through so I teleported right outside our room. I looked in, and saw June sitting on the side of the bed looking no where particularly. She was covered in dust and debris, and her hair was coated in a film of concrete dust. And her hands were stained with.......Richards blood.

I slowly made my way in and started the shower. I kept quite the whole time, but went over to her and took both hands in mine, and led her to the shower. Not once did she look at me. She was here physically but mentally she was somewhere else.

I took off her jacket, and slowly lifted her shirt above her head. Her body seemed to move on it's own, but again I don't think she could comprehend what was going on. I took off my shirt as well, and put my hand in the water to make sure the tempature was warm.

I then led her in the shower and placed her in the water stream. I only took our tops off, hoping the feeling of the water would pull her out of her thoughts. I let it wash over her, as I worked the water through her hair. I looked down to her eyes, and they were blank.

I lathered up some shampoo and washed her hair. Then I soaped up a face cloth and started cleaning the dirt off her body. The last thing I left was her bloody hands. As I took them her gaze shifted to her hands. I worked the soap in, and she let me. I could see her chin quiver as I held them up to my chest and let the water rinse the blood and dirt away. I finally heard a noise come from her, as she looked up to me and finally broke down.

I wrapped her in my arms and I held on tight as she cried into my chest. Her arms tucked in as if holding herself and my chin resting on her head.

I still didn't say anything. I just stayed there with her, occasionally turning the temperature warmer whenever it got cold. If anyone knew the feeling of watching their parent die, it was me, and it was the most devastating thing that I ever had to process. What she needed was time to grieve and I would be there every step of the way.

..................

"How's she's doing?" Sarah asked as she approached me in the cafeteria outlet.

"She's in bed right now. In fact she's been in bed all day. I figured I would try and get her to eat something. Bowdie is with her now, but I'm sure you already knew that." I said.

"Actually.......I didn't." She said with a saddened tone. "She's blocked me out. I can sense her but I....I don't think she wants me rummaging through her head right now."

"I would do anything to know what she's thinking." I said. "She'll need time Sarah. Perhaps you can come tonight and see how's she's doing. Jay wants me in mission control to go over some stuff. I'm assuming with the extra added people we are going to have to find another place to hold everyone." I said.

"Well whenever she's ready we are going to hold a ceremony for him. He touched alot of people, and they would love nothing more then to send him off with a celebration of life." She mentioned.

"Thank you, I'll let her know."

It's been a few days since Richards passing, and she's refused to get out of bed. I've been with her the whole time, but Jay's only given me a few days, and now it's back to work I go.

Kipsky has been trying to keep himself busy, to try and cope with the turn of events that took place with Anja. If only I could tell him he had a little girl, but she asked me not to tell him. Perhaps to keep him safe. That's what I was hoping anyways.

I let her go on the sole condition she tap in every few weeks. She was in search of her daughter, and I told her if she found her where abouts to contact me. I would want someone to do the same for me if it was Bowdie.

She didn't have to warn us. She could have let them blow that mountain and not have said a word, but deep down in that cold interior she risked everything.

I headed back towards our room where Bowdie was keeping her company. I set the tray beside the bed and took a seat next to her on the side of the bed. She was sleeping, and I brushed the side of her hair pulling it behind her ear.

I looked over to Bowdie. She just looked at me and nodded no, as if to tell me she hasn't spoken yet.

I felt June shift beneath me and I looked down to see her eyes flutter open. She looked at me with a blank stare before she took her gaze to elsewhere.

"June." I spoke softly. "I just saw Sarah, and they want to hold a celebration of life for your dad." I crouched down beside the bed so I was eye level with her. I continued to brush the hair behind her ear as I spoke to her.

"Is that something you want to do baby?" I asked.

She looked at me, and sat up. Something she hasn't done in days. She nodded yes.

I sat back on the bed and took her hand. "Does that sound like a good plan?"

A tear fell down her cheek and she wiped it right away. She nodded again and said the first word she hasn't said in days.

"Yes."

I went in for a hug and she pulled me into her arms. Bowdie ran over to and we all held eachother. I was starting to get my June back, slowly but surely.

"I think we should have it tonight." She said.

"Whatever you want love." I said.

"How bout I go spread the word and help get things prepared. You two stay here and get ready." Suggested Bowdie.

"Thank you Bowdie." Said June.

Bowdie left the room and June turned to me.

"Could you start the shower for me please?"

I smiled and did as she asked, while she looked to be picking out some clothes for the day. I was mentally preparing myself. She doesn't know about Anja's escape and I wasnt sure how to break the news just yet. But it will have to wait for now.

Today, we say goodbye to Richard.

...................

June's P.O.V

After my shower, I stayed in our room to prepare myself. I locked myself in our room for days since clearing out home base, and I didn't want to feel as if all eyes were on me.

Juniper........the one who lost her father. The one who lead the vanquishing team, the one who couldn't save her own family.

Raeve was my rock, and stayed with me while I stayed in bed. He never once strayed from me, and for that my love for him would be everlasting. Tonight, after I say goodbye to my dad, I will be leaving. Raeve doesn't know, but this is something I must do on my own.

No more will I risk or jeopardize the ones that I love and care about.

Word spread like wildfire and preparations for my father's final goodbye were in full effect. I had spent all day faking a smile, while people gave me there condolences. It was just an endless barrage of gestures, and I wanted nothing more then the day to end.

Sarah had some people build a pyre in the football field that we transported everyone to a few days ago. There we would lay his body, and let the flames carry his ashes into the sunset.

It was a beautiful concept my dad always mentioned for when he died. He wanted to feel like a hero when he was sent off.

To me it seemed fitting.

Raeve had left me for a short while to discuss matters with Jay and Sarah joined me outside. Thanks to her, we were able to save everyone from home base. Almost everyone.

She was becoming something of herself, and within the few days everyone learned that it was she who learned about their plot, she who got the confession and she who put a plan into motion. She was a natural born leader, and it took her finding herself to learn it. She definantley was not one to underestimate.

She did her best in talking to me. I had her mentally blocked so she couldn't see my intentions but I couldn't have her warning Raeve or the others. She was a true friend, and I was going to miss her deeply.

It hit 6 pm and we all started walking to the football field. There were several 100 people who attended. Raeve walked down with me hand in hand, and I practically cried the whole time we walked there.

It was going to be the hardest thing I would ever have to do. Saying goodbye to my dad one last time, never ever having the hope of seeing him face to face again. I at least hoped to see him in my dreams, and knew one day I would share the same fate. Probably sooner then one would hope.

We reached the field and I saw his body laid out on the pyre, surrounded by flowers and letters from the people he touched. It was beautiful, and I couldn't have asked for anything more. I watched the flames reach high into the sky and I felt a calm in the air.

The calm before the storm, as they so put it.

"June." I turned to Raeve as he called my name.

"I made this for you." He said.

The tears started welling in my eyes as I looked down to see him holding a necklace. It had my father's name etched into it, much like his mother's on his dog tags, with a small phrase that read." Forever in my Heart" .

He placed it around my neck and pulled me in for what unbeknownst to him would be our final embrace.

"I love you Raeve."

"And I love you." He replied.

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