Episode Five, Part 2:
S i s t e r

It's okay, just wait and see. 
Your string of lights is still bright to me. 

Sol hovered by the exit of the Bunker, eager to move on as soon as possible so that the dreaded events that were quickly approaching would be over with. 

Zara and Atlantis crossed through the kitchen area, joining the Sovereign and Aeryn where they stood. 

"Did you manage to get all the security up and running?" Sol asked, nervous for the answer. 

"Yes," Zara announced, wrapping her arm around Atlantis. "With a little bit of help from this one." 

She smiled at what she saw, admiring how close of a bond they had with each other. Sol knew that if her own mum was alive, she would have the same relationship with her as Atlantis did with Zara. And if she really focused on it, she could almost piece together what tiny fragments of memories she had of her mother. Almost. 

"Well, thank you," she said to them both, hoping they would understand how truly grateful she was to have their help. It took away the fear of anyone being able to find Elara when they were out there, and that meant the world to her. 

"It was our pleasure," Zara replied, afterwards, glancing around. "Are we leaving soon?" 

Sol nodded. "Wynn's just saying goodbye to Elara. They'll probably be a few minutes." She said. "I told him to take his time." 

///// 

At the other end of the Bunker, in what was set up as the dining quarters, Elara sat upon a lone stool, staring at herself in the mirror that rested in the corner. 

Wynn walked up behind her, nudging a radio into her arm and waiting for her to take it. 

"You won't be able to call me or Sol on this one," he said to her, "but you're connected to Joren's radio back at Basilisk. He knows what we're doing, and if anything happens down here, which it won't," he assured her, "then you can reach him." 

Elara sighed and took possession of the radio, fiddling with it in her hands. In the reflection behind her, she could see Wynn bring out a pair of scissors, staring at her in the mirror. 

"Are you ready?" He asked. 

Bravely, the young girl nodded, setting the radio down on the floor and allowing Wynn to continue. He gathered her red hair in his hands, making sure it was all falling over the back of her shoulders, and tying it up into a firm hold. 

As he brought the scissors up to cut, Elara spoke suddenly, as if trying to buy her time. 

"Ares loved my long hair," she whispered, gazing at her appearance, savouring the last sight of her like this. 

Wynn sighed, hesitating on his actions, but having to continue anyway. It took a couple of attempts just above the hair tie, but eventually, it broke off, and her now-much-shorter hair fell just below her shoulders. 

It was rough and uneven, but there was now a healthy bounce to it and she suddenly looked a little older. A little more grown-up. 

"I know," he said, smiling sadly back at her. "And he would have loved it like this, too. He just didn't like my red hair," Wynn joked, earning a laugh from his sister as he tucked the scissors back into his pocket, but it quickly faded, and her gaze retreated back to herself, trying to recognise who she saw in the mirror. 

"The last time my hair was cut was in the Bunker..." She reminisced. "I remember Valarie was doing it for me one night, and Hayzel was sat in front of me as I braided her's. I miss them..." 

"Hey," Wynnlow murmured, resting his hand on her shoulder. He didn't know what he wanted to say, just that he wanted to stop her from feeling that way. "I miss them, too." 

He decided that maybe all he could do was reassure her that someone else understood her pain. That he knew exactly what she was going through because he had been right there all along, taking every high and low right beside her. 

"But look at where we are. Look at how strong you are. They'd be so proud of you." 

"I'm not strong." 

"Yes, you are." Wynn was adamant about it, refusing to hear her say that. "Ares and I were just talking about it the-" it was a strange thing to be able to say, something that wouldn't be true for much longer, something that he could only ever say one more time; "the other day..." He finished somberly. 

Elara felt the misery return to her, unable to pull her heart away from Ares' absence, but she still managed to change the conversation. 

"Quill and Kodi are gonna hate me," she sighed, completely exhausted, pinching at the skin on her arm. 

"No, they won't," Wynn promised her. "The only thing that's going to matter is that you're safe. Yeah, it'll be a few minutes of hell, but it's a small sacrifice to pay for getting the rest of their lives with you. Besides, if they're gonna be angry at anyone, it'll be me and Sol for planning this whole thing. For needing them to believe it's real." 

Elara knew her brother was right. The moment they found out she was alive, all Quill and Kodiak would want to do was be with her, and the relief that she was safe would drown out any anger or resentment they may have once felt, but it still didn't make it any easier to think about. She knew the pain they were about to feel, and she wouldn't wish it on anyone. 

"You'll be fine," he said, knowing they really needed to wrap up their conversation. "The serum is over there if you need any. You've taken some already, haven't you?" 

Elara pinched at her arm, hoping the bruising was coming out so she could convince Wynn that she was telling the truth, even though she wasn't. 

She nodded, hoping the guilt wasn't burning as clear on her face as it felt. She got lucky; maybe it was because Wynn was too distracted by what he knew what was to come, or simply because he couldn't fathom why she would stop taking the serum, but he didn't pick up on her lie. 

"Are you gonna be okay down here?" He asked. 

Elara laughed slightly. "Do I have a choice?" 

She didn't, but Wynn still wanted to believe otherwise. "I could ask Sol if I could stay here with you. I know you've never been on your own before... Trust me, I know how daunting that is." Wynn thought back to his time in the DeadLands when Sol had returned back to the Bunker to get help, leaving him just before Adair died. That was the very first time he was ever on his own, and now, for Elara - the first child born in the Bunker - the girl who had never gone a minute without having someone around - she was about to get a taste. 

"Thanks, but I know you have to go. Besides, it's only for a few hours, right? Tomorrow at the latest? And no one can get in, so I don't have to worry about that." 

Wynn frowned empathetically, hating to leave her, but it was time. After all they had gone through this past week, it felt like he was doing the exact opposite of what Ares had asked him to do; he felt like he was letting his brother down in so many ways, and putting not only Elara in danger, but Quill as well. 

Kissing the top of his sister's now-shorter, red hair, forcing himself to leave her behind - it was one of the most agonizing feelings he had ever known. 

He couldn't get any words out as he returned to Sol and the others, but he nodded to say that he was ready to leave, being the last one to step foot on the Ground, sealing his sister safely below. 

Five // Part Two
You've never been on your own before.

24/04/20