Part 4: Lost and Found
That day there was little change in Macy's conditon...but as Hope and Taker and Kane continued to visit the little girl and give her all the support they could, little by little, she began to show signs of recovery. Then one day, she finally showed a sign she was coming out. "Macy...Macy it's Hope. Come on, you can hear me. I know you can." Hope said. Taker walked over and sat at Macy's side. "Macy...it's me...it's your guardian angel. I know you can hear me too. Come on honey...squeeze my hand." Taker waited for a moment looking at the child for any sign of life. Things were quiet for a moment, then Macy's tiny hand began to move ever so slightly. "Hope, she...she moved her hand! Macy...Macy, I'm here...we're all here for you. Come on..come on little one..I know you're sick but you can fight this...I know you can."
Another moment went by, then her hand began to move around some more. Then, the other hand began to move. Finally, two little eyes finally opened. Hope and Taker had looks of anticpation as the little girl's mouth began to move. She started sighing at first...then began to forumlate a word,"Taker........" she said wearily. "Macy...I'm here. I'm here."
"Hope..." Macy said again. "Yes sweety, I'm here." Hope said and took Macy's hand. "You're gonna be ok. You're gonna get through this." Hope said. She then called physicians in to examine the child. They saw that she was starting to breathe on her own.
Within a day she was taken off life support. Soon Macy was taken to ICU and began to recover. Taker visited her every chance he got. He was recovered enough now to leave the hospital, but he came back whenever he could. Then there came a day when he realized he needed to make desicions about the turn he was going to take. Would he go back to the Federation? Was there any point in him going back? But those would soon be put on the back burner for the time being. He found out that he would not be visiting Macy much longer.
"Hope, I saw a couple waiting outside Macy's room. Who are they?" Taker asked. "Taker...I...I didnt' know how to tell you this. Macy will be leaving us soon. The couple you saw have been visiting Macy and they want to adopt her. Til now she's been in state foster homes. She'll be leaving in a few days to be with her new family. But she'll be leaving for Virginia. That's where the family lives. She'll be at an in home center there to care for her."
"Oh. I...guess that is what is best for her." Taker said lowering his head. He didn't want to admit it, but he wanted to stop that family from taking Macy away. He'd become very attached to her in the days that he'd come to know her. But, this was what was best for Macy. She needed a family that would love and care for her. "Don't worry. I will get the address as soon as I can. She'll want to keep in touch with me...and I know she'll want to keep in touch with you."
"Thank you. I guess I have some decisions to make myself. I have to wonder if I still have a job to come back to. It wouldn't suprise me one bit if Vince tried to phaze me out while I've been gone...and...I have things to work out with my brother. Hope...thank you. For everything. You and Macy both have given me a great deal back that I thought I had lost."
"It's who I am. I've always had this want to help people...it's just part of my nature I guess. Macy won't be leaving until tomorrow. But the family will be spending time with her today to get to know her, and for her to get to know them. I'm almost sorry that she's leaving. I've become very attached to her...and all the other children here. I guess that's both a blessing and a pitfall of being in this line of work. Doing so much good, seeing what it does...but then have to watch the children you do good for eventually leave...one way or another. It's good that Macy is finally getting a home and family that loves her. I know she'll be better off once she gets used to her new home."
Taker looked at the family as they entered Macy's room. He knew she'd be leaving soon and he would probably not see her again for a long time. Then he looked back at Hope and suddenly felt a strange, terrible feeling come over him. He didn't know what it was. He shook his head trying to shake the feeling off. What came over him? Why did he have such a sudden feeling? Again, he shook it off. "I have to go attend to the other children and then some other patients...um, where are you staying?"
"Hotel...don't worry bout me. I've been living out of em for years now. I have a small place that no one knows about. It's a private place for me. I go there when I need a place to think and be alone. Looks like I may be using it soon. I...I have to go." He turned and pretended to leave...just for a moment he turned around and watched Hope go tend to her patients. He watched her for a moment. Then turned himself away again getting that strange feeling. He didn't know what to make of it. Was he...falling in love with her? He had grown quite attached to her in the days following his accident. No one else had taken him in so kindly as she had...and little Macy.
That night Taker sat in his hotel room. All he could think of was Macy and Hope. He thought for a moment what he was going to do. "I could get into a lot of trouble if I do this...but she leaves tomorrow. I may never have the chance to see her again." He said to himself. With that, he got up and decided he had to see Macy one last time before she left.
He arrived at the hospital's back lot. He parked his car off to the side so it would not be too noticed. Now, he thought...how to get in. He couldn't disguise himself. First off, all the staff would notice this rather tall person walking around in medical attire that would never fit him. Go through the window perhaps. No, he was too big for the small windows the hospital had. That and the fact that Macy was on the second story of the hospital. "Well why am I standing here debating how to get in? I have powers...seems this truama has made me forget to use them. I am the Lord of Darkness after all...and no wall is going to keep me from seeing Macy once more before she leaves." He said with silent determination. He rolled his eyes back and concentrated knowing what room Macy was in. He vanished from the spot where he was standing. The next moment he reappeared in Macy's room. The little child was deep in slumber when he walked to her bed. He wanted to pick her up and carry her away. He had become so attached to her, but she needed a family...a real family. He knew what it was like to have his snatched out from under him. No one knew the truth of the fire that killed his family those many years ago. He remembered the words of anger he'd spoken against his brother nearly a year ago...and the more he thought, the more regret filled his heart. It was a lie and he knew it. But jealousy and anger had clouded his mind and his soul. He knew that soon he had to make things right with his brother. A healing process of sorts had begun...but it needed to continue, or there would never be peace between them.
He looked at Macy, how peaceful she was as she slept. In a few more hours, she would be with her new family, and he would be, once more, alone. But it gave him some comfort knowing he had saved the child's life. That he had given her strength when none seemed to be available. He looked at her...then decided he had better leave before he became so attached he would do something that would get him into no end of trouble. He turned to leave, then the child began to stir and one sleepy eye opened. She saw a tall shadow in her room. "Taker?" she asked sleepily. "Yes Macy. I'm here."
"How did you get in my room?" Macy asked showing a typical childlike curiosity. "I am a guardian angel Macy...I can go anywhere I want. I...I know you're leaving tomorrow. I wanted to see you one more time before you left. To...to say goodbye."
"Can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
"I know that the couple who wants to adopt me is nice and all....but I don't know if I want to go with them. I want to stay here...with you."
"Macy...you're just nervous. You'll have a mother and father and perhaps a sister..brother....you're just scared now because this is all new to you. But in time things will feel as normal to you in your new home as things are here. Actually I'm a little envious of you. You have a mother and father to help take care of you."
"You didn't have a family either?"
"I...I did long ago..but then something happened and I lost my family in a terrible accident. And for a long time my brother Kane and I lost contact with each other. I...I made things worse by becoming angry and jealous of my younger brother when we finally did reunite. I made a lot of mistakes. If I could go back in time...I would have done things very differently. I would have tried to make ammends with my brother. I wish I could have had one more day with my mother....You have the chance to be with a mother and father Macy. Don't give that up."
"But I don't want to leave you." Macy said as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Now now Macy. You know that whenever you need me I'm very near. How do you think I could be here now? It was your heart that brought me here. And your heart is where I will always be. You might not always see me or hear me...but you will know that I'm there. Come on now...don't cry. Once you're with your new family, you'll be too busy getting to know them and getting well to dwell on something like this."
Taker didn't know it, but outside Macy's room another figure stood. Kane too had powers like his brother, and stood outside Macy's room listening to the conversation. He heard what Taker has said. Perhaps there was still hope for the brothers to heal their wounds and become a family themselves once more. He watched Taker hold Macy trying to comfort her. He had never truly seen this side of his older brother. He began to wonder himself just why had their bond fallen apart. That perhaps he too had made mistakes in the past that brought about the tear in their family. Too willing to follow a story line...they both had done so much to appease their boss, and what had it gotten them...only pain. Even Paul had his regrets about the past year....about the past period. Kane thought for a moment and realized it was time for this to stop. They were a family...and they needed to heal like a family. But what of X Pac? He didn't like Taker, and Taker didn't like him. And Kane and Big Show were certainly not fond of each other. He didn't know how this was going to happen...but it needed to. The brothers had to reconcile their differences somehow, and bring the family of darkness back together once more.
*to be cont*