Celestia POV

It was dark everywhere. This wasn't a dream or a nightmare, like the ones I had since I came down to Earth. It was nothingness. No sights, sounds, smells. Just darkness. Do Nephilims don't go to Heaven once they die? Instead, we come here into this blank dark space. I don't know how long I spent there, there was nothing to indicate time. I didn't get tired or sleep, no matter how much time I waited for something to happen. I didn't have a voice too, when I tried screaming nothing came out. I really should have looked where I was running to. 

Another new feeling overtook me - regret. I had never regretted anything in my life, but now I really wish I hadn't run into the busy street. I wasn't used to it because there were no dangers like that in Heaven. I was naive and I paid the price for it. I would probably never get to see my father again, or my brothers. It might seem silly, but I miss Weston's jokes and Asher's reassuring and supportive smiles. I even missed Mateo's detached but strong affection, which he thought he hid pretty well from me. I guess my intuition is greater than normal humans because their emotions and intentions were like reading an open book with highlights.

My Dad, James King. I felt safe with him. Like I was back in Heaven and nothing bad could get to me. He loved me and was anxious to prove it to me, but he didn't need to. I felt it already because of my enhanced intuition. Or was it normal for humans to be this perceptive of the people around them? I don't know.

Suddenly, I started hearing ringing. A constant noise that wouldn't stop. I looked around but I was still alone in the dark. Closing my eyes I focused on the ringing and realised it was getting louder. It got so loud that my ears started to hurt. I felt hands on my face and suddenly my eyes hurt from the light around me. Whoever was holding my face in their hands wasn't trying to hurt me. It didn't feel like a violation, on the contrary, it felt like home. 

"Celestia! Darling focus, we don't have much time!" That voice sounded familiar. The same voice I would hear when chasing butterflies when I was little. The same voice that reprimanded me when all my uncles couldn't. The voice sounded like home, peace, and love. My mother's voice! I finally opened my eyes and saw the woman I love more than anything, my warrior, my hero, my mother. I didn't have any time to speak before she smiled and rushed out the words "Find me while the light is still hiding behind the world just gracing us with your presence. Explore the garden that once made you wonder why we had to live separately from the humans."

I didn't understand, but there was no time to ponder her words because once she let go of my face everything returned to the blackness. Was this some kind of vision? Did I imagine my mom? I remember which garden she meant. She took me there without my uncles or aunts chaperoning us for the first time when I was little. Where did she say it was?

I didn't have time to think before I smelled something. It was new and I had never encountered it before. Soon I was able to hear consistent beeps. The blackness surrounding me started to fade and I felt I was lying in a bed. My eyes opened on their own and I saw I was in a dimly lit room. Someone was holding my hand, so I looked down and saw my big brother Mateo. He was sleeping on the chair next to the bed. That doesn't look comfortable at all. I looked around and saw Asher on the opposite chair with his hands crossed in front of him. 

My brothers were sleeping. Did I survive then? I didn't die. I felt pure relief. Trying to move your hands after God knows how long you've been unconscious sucks, but I finally managed to make them follow my commands. I took Mateo's hand and squeezed. He was here! They both were. Where were Weston and my Dad or Isabella?

Not long after that, my brothers woke up and things started happening very fast. Strangers came into the room wearing white coats over their clothes or blue scrubs. They started poking and prodding me doing something I didn't understand. The most infuriating one was stabbing me with needles and taking my blood. When they finally left Dad came inside the room and Isabella stood near the door. "Sweetheart! I was so worried. I'm so glad you're okay Aurora!" I felt really bad. I didn't mean to do it. My voice was hoarse, but I managed to croak out "I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."

I was in the hospital for two days before they released me. They said the recovery time is usually longer, but that I was a fast healer. Only I knew why though. I was still considering my dream in the "nothingness." Was it just wishful thinking and wanting to see my Mom? T thought more about her words for the rest of the first day after the doctors and nurses left. Dad was hovering over me and Isabella was keeping an eye on everyone, like the family protector. Her emotions didn't make a lot of sense, but she was feeling protectiveness over everyone... even me.

My brothers all came in the late afternoon and came to hug me. I immediately felt better. Weston didn't look so good though. He looked haunted, so I mostly engaged with him in conversation. I didn't want him to hurt. He was a mess feeling emotional pain, denial, and guilt. What did he have to be guilty about? It was the most overwhelming feeling I got from him. Am I such an open book to my family as well? Did they know my emotions, like I felt theirs? Wait, I did it with the waitress too, so it's not only family.

The next day we got a visit from Stella and I met her family. Her parents were sweet and kind. I felt the man was curious, his feelings told me he was trying to figure out something when we were all together. I also met Stella's cousin - Florence. I really liked her. She was so confident and funny. She didn't wait for anyone to introduce her, and her first words to me were "Hello, I'm Florence, but you can call me Flo, or bestie. I am sure we are going to keep our family on their toes. I can't wait to get to know you!"

After I got released I spent the rest of the week at home mostly in my room watching TV. Everyone came to spend time with me and I was happy that I got to know each of them better. Florence, whom I called her because I refused to shorten her beautiful name and when I told her that she blushed, also came to spend more time with me. She was teaching me as she called it "girl stuff." I am sure she read me like an open book and saw that I didn't understand a lot. But the wasn't mean about it, it was the opposite. She was supportive and curious about my opinions on everything she showed me. One day, we were in my room and Weston had just left us snacks.

"Have you noticed that your brother has been hovering around like an overprotective guard dog?" She asked me after she tried the homemade sweet potato chips that Grandma Gia cooked in the morning. She was insistent I call her that even though she wasn't my actual grandma. I felt included and loved. Her husband said I could call him Grandpa Leo, but we hadn't talked as much and I wasn't comfortable doing that just yet. 

I answered "Today? I didn't notice." She snickered at that "Oh, please! He is just looking for a reason to come here and check up on you. He volunteered to bring the food up to us when it was ready... that boy never volunteers for anything other than his beloved soccer. Something is definitely going on." I thought about Weston's feelings after we came back home from the hospital. Although he was acting upbeat and on the surface was funny self, it didn't feel that he was okay. He still felt too much guilt I just don't know why.

I absentmindedly answered "He feels guilty, I just don't know for what. Do you have any ideas?" Florence raised her eyebrow and thought about it. "Probably about the accident. Stella said he was carrying you when you woke up, so he probably feels like he shouldn't have let you run." Oh, my Lord! How didn't I think about that? From where I was standing he didn't have anything to be guilty over but human emotions and their complexity were frustrating. I am learning that every day I spend on Earth. I felt really bad because he didn't have anything to be guilty about. I needed to make him feel better. Florence left after we watched an episode of a TV show about high school on the program called "Netflix."

Weston didn't take long to come after she left. She was right. He was hovering. And he still felt guilty and scared. I tried to distract him "Do you want to watch the Netflix with me Wes?" He smiled at that "It's just Netflix Rory. No "the" needed. What are we watching?" I just shrugged and told him "You choose." We ended up watching a TV show about a family of assassins living a suburban life. I ended up falling asleep after watching four episodes in a row.

I dreamt about my conversation with Mom. I remember the garden she was talking about. I just didn't know where it was or how to find it. It was the first time she took me to Earth without any of my aunts or uncles escorting us. We explored a very beautiful place and when I asked her who made it, she said "The humans arranged the most beautiful plants and created this garden for other people to take pleasure in gazing at its beauty." It was then I asked her why we had to live separately from them, but she told me I would find out when I grew up. The first part of her message I still didn't understand though.

I woke up with a start, and it was dark outside. Weston had me tucked in bed, while he took the armchair and silently watched the TV. He was still awake? What time is it? I looked at the clock on the nightstand and it said it was two in the morning. I didn't have time to ask him why he wasn't sleeping before he rushed to my side "Did you have a nightmare, Rory?" I was still sleepy, but I didn't. I would remember if I did.

"No, what are you doing still up?" He couldn't look at me, but he sat on the end of the bed. He looked exhausted. With a sigh, he said "Couldn't sleep. It's okay, you go back to dreamland, you need your rest." I slowly released a breath I was holding, he still felt guilty. I tried to encourage him "You need your rest too, Wes." He dismissed my concern immediately "I'll sleep, I promise, but you first! You're the youngest, so you should listen to me. Because I'm finally older than someone in the family and you're the only sibling I get to boss around." As always he tried to make a joke, but I saw right through him.

I didn't say anything and just looked him in the eyes. I was trying to silently convey that he could always talk to me and that he didn't need to hide. I was probably the only one he couldn't hide his feelings from because I felt everyone's emotions so strongly. After watching that superhero cartoon about Captain Fruit Punch, I decided I should name my power and use it for good. I didn't have to think too much before the name just came to me - Divine Intuition. It sounds cool and pays homage to my angelic roots, even though they don't want anything to do with me.

Weston finally cracked under my gaze and confessed "I just need to make sure you're okay. I don't do well with car wrecks. Actually, this family doesn't as a whole. That's three now." I was confused I know they told me he and Ash were in an accident when they were little and I'm pretty sure I saw it after it happened from Heaven, but I didn't know who else he meant. Did he mean himself, me, and Ash? Wes recognized my curious gaze and hurriedly tried to change the topic by revealing to me something I didn't know. "Aunt Camilla, Antonio's mother, died in a car wreck, too. Ash and I weren't born yet and Mateo was three then." That was awful.

I felt like I needed to share something in return or distract him. If I just blurted out I was half angel it would do the trick, but I wasn't ready for that. Honestly, not sure if I will ever be. I decided to distract him with something else. "Do you know how many famous gardens are in the world? Big ones, made by people for others to enjoy." Goal achieved! He was confused and asked me to elaborate. I told him about my dream in the hospital. My Mom's words were a riddle I needed to solve. Weston gladly changed the topic and we talked more.

"Personally, I have never been interested in gardens, but I am sure with the help of Google or someone who knows this stuff, we can find the garden you visited when you were little." We tried looking for it with a description on Google, but the results were too broad. There are apparently a lot of man-made gardens around the world that are open to the public and they are called botanic gardens. Weston asked after a while "This isn't going to get us anywhere, can you draw it or something?" Of course! I can paint it from memory.

"I know how to paint pretty well, so I can do that. I don't have any painting supplies though." I was going to try drawing it with a pen, but Weston said that Mr. Tully would probably have an easier time recognizing a painting rather than a drawing. I asked "Who is that? Does he know about gardens?" He explained "If anyone knows the name of that garden, it would be Mr. Tully, he's a retired soldier, who lives close by. Has been taking care of our garden since before I was born. He's really into gardening and the different types of flowers and plants."

"Okay. Rory, you should catch some more sleep. I will go to my room and try as well. Tomorrow, we will paint the garden from your childhood memory and I'll find out when Mr. Tully's next visit to tend the garden would be. We will solve your mystery dream, I promise." I wasn't tired at all, but I agreed to go to bed if he would try and sleep, too. 

Is Florence going to bring Aurora out of her shy shell?

Will Rory and Weston find the garden from her memories?

Question of the day: Have you ever been to a botanic garden?