▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐘𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 her room, the test results had come back and had confirmed exactly what Rosalynn had thought. She had gained the ability to phase. While that was worrying, the most worrying thing was Rosalynn said there was a high chance her powers would develop. This made Liliya panic. What did she mean by that? What else would she be cursed with? Couldn't she just get a break?

A knock came on her door and she quickly opened it to reveal Steve. "Hey, Theo's here." Liliya nodded, subconsciously wringing her wrists. Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders. Liliya met his eyes. "It's going to be okay, doll. Just breathe." She did as he said, taking a deep breath. He placed a kiss on her forehead before grabbing her hand and leading her from the room.

He brought her to an open area where a woman with curly brown hair was sitting, a young teenager sitting beside her. Liliya examined her for a moment, eyes narrowing in on her gloved hands. The couple approached and Theodora looked up, a kind smile on her face. "Steve," she greeted. She looked at Liliya, her expression not once faltering. "And you must be Liliya, I've heard so much about you."

Liliya, who had given her a small smile in response, felt her smile falter. "Oh."

Theodora frowned and her change of face. "It's nothing bad, sweetheart. Steve actually talks very highly of you." Liliya turned her head to Steve, and his face began to turn red and her heart instantly warmed at the sight. "Steve, Clint said he's running a little late, would you mind keeping an eye on this hellion?"

"Hey! I'm not a hellion."

Theodora chuckled. "Liliya, this is my daughter, Avery."

Avery stood and Liliya couldn't help but notice how much she and her mother looked alike. "I'd much rather be with Steve than dad anyways," Avery muttered.

"Avery," Theodora warned.

Avery held her hands up. "Sorry." She began to walk away, grabbing Steve's arm and dragging him with her.

When the two disappeared, Liliya couldn't help but softly chuckle. "She must be a handful." She took a seat across from Theodora.

Theodora nodded. "She is. My little elemental as I like to call her."

Liliya straightened. "Elemental? She has powers? But she can't be older than thirteen."

"An accident happened when she was young, now she can control the elements. Somehow, the power fits her. She can control them quite well." A small frown fell on the older woman's face. "I'll never forgive myself for that day."

Instantly, Liliya felt the need to change subjects. "Steve said you have powers as well."

Theo nodded. "I do." She held up one gloved hands. "That's what these are for. I have the ability to touch any object and see its past. Anyone who has ever touched it, any horror's that have happened, I can see it all. It's developed enough where I can touch a person and see what they've witnessed throughout their entire life. It's a curse more than a gift. That's why I wear gloves. As long as my hands don't make direct contact, I don't have to see what's happened."

Liliya furrowed her brows. "But. . . you have a kid?"

Theodora chuckled, nodding. "I can control it for the most part, but sometimes it's not the case. I wear them as a 'just in case'. To protect my own sanity." Liliya nodded, a frown seemingly permanent on her face. "Steve told me you've begun to develop your own powers."

Liliya nodded. "It's called phasing. According to Rosalynn, I have the ability to go through solid objects."

"Ah, I see. When has this started?"

"Well, it first happened six months ago, when I was. . . and um, it started getting really bad yesterday. Now, at random times, my hands seem to start fading in and out of existence."

Theodora nodded. "I think your power mainly has to do with concentration. Right now, you are a physical being, you're solid. I want you to try and let yourself become tangible. Just close your eyes, remember what it looked like when your hands were faded, what it felt like."

"But. . . what if I can't go back?"

"You will." Theodora assured. "Trust me."

"Okay," Liliya mumbled. She did what Theo said, remembering the first time she saw her hands fade, remembering the fear that struck her heart not knowing what was happening to her. She kept her eyes closed, forcing herself to take even breaths, letting the memory of her hands fade over take her and then she opened her eyes. Her eyes widened, her hands now almost translucent. "Holy shit!" A surprised, slightly terrified, laugh escaped her lips. She looked at Theodora who was smiling.

"See! Now, I want you to do the same thing but opposite. Remember your hands in solid form, remember what it felt like to grasp things, feeling a blanket beneath your hand, or, holding Steve's hand." Liliya sent her a look and Theodora chuckled. She gave Liliya a small nod. "You've got this."

"I've got this," Liliya mumbled. Again, she did what Theodora asked. She closed her eyes, instantly her mind went to the feeling of a gun in her hand. The weight of it that always kept her focused, feeling the trigger beneath her fingertips, the ricochet that came from the gun when a shot went off. Karine's face popped in her vision. She snapped her eyes open, her heart slamming in her chest.

"I told you you would get the hang of this." Theodora praised. "You just need to train. I'd be willing to come down every day and train with you if you like?" She paused, noticing Liliya's silence. "Liliya? Are you alright?"

Liliya shot up from her seat. "I can't do this."

"Liliya―︎"

"Stop!" She snapped. Instantly, Liliya recoiled from the harshness of her voice. Her eyes widened. "I'm s- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just-just give me a second. I just-I just need a second." She turned her back towards Theodora, closing her eyes. She clenched her shaking fists at her side, forcing herself to take calming breaths.

Theodora carefully stood, not advancing on her. "You saw something, didn't you?" Her voice was soft and gentle, no ounce of judgement anywhere in her voice. "Something from your life before you came here."

Liliya nodded. She opened her eyes, unclenching her fists as she turned to look at Theodora. "I saw Karine." She swallowed. "She was my, uh, she was basically my sister. And I killed her." She felt tears grow behind her eyes and she refused to let them fall. "I killed the one person in my life that truly cared about me."

Theodora watched her carefully. "Did you have a choice?"

Liliya couldn't meet her eyes as she shook her head. "No."

Theodora nodded, taking a few steps closer to her. "Liliya, you can't blame yourself for doing what you had to do in order to survive. To live."

Her voice cracked as she whispered, "It should've been her here, not me. She let me win. That's not fair. None of this is fair."

"I understand."

Liliya shook her head. "No you don't."

"While it's true I have never killed someone I loved, I might as well have." Theodora held up one of her hands, examining the black glove on it. "Do you want to know the real reason I wear these gloves?" Liliya met her eyes. "When I was younger, I was the only one in my family who had these strange powers. I had three other siblings, one of them whose name was Michael. He kept asking me why I wore these gloves, I got annoyed and I showed him. For the rest of his life, Michael lived in an asylum, and it's something that I did. I put him there. He died in that very same asylum. He would have never ended up there if it weren't for me. Something I will forever regret. Now, my other brother and sister refuse to talk to me."

Liliya frowned. "He. . . died?" Theodora nodded. "And you've worn the gloves ever since."

"Well, I've always worn the gloves since I discovered these powers. But after that day, for many many years I refused to take them off. The only place I'm comfortable not wearing them in is my home."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Understand that we all make mistakes, but life does get better. We cannot live in the past, that will do us no good. Instead, we have to focus on the future, and find a way to keep whatever's happened from happening again." Theodora gave her a soft smile. "I think today was a good introduction. Should I come back tomorrow?"

Liliya nodded, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips. "Yes, that would be lovely."