1.15 Desolation

FINALLY. The chapter I've been waiting to post. Things are about to go down. I hope you enjoy :)

Mason was gone for so long that he even missed his son's fifth birthday. Athena invited some people over to celebrate Caleb's birthday. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle it alone, even though it had been a few years...

She went down to the new bakery that was across the street and bought Caleb a special birthday cake.

What a handsome boy he grew up to be. Athena loved that he had her pink hair, it was adorable! The party was verging on epic, and for once Athena had forgotten all of her troubles.

Until everyone left and Athena couldn't sleep. Caleb was as vocal as ever, constantly crying when he wasn't getting his way. Athena would have to get up and rock Caleb until he fell asleep.

She thanked the mysterious gift giver for the doll that Caleb had quickly become attached to. He loved it so much, there wasn't a moment he wasn't clinging to it.

That night, Athena had been invited to a pool party by the five star celebrity Christina Landgraab. Athena had become quite the celebrity because of Mason's disappearance. She wasn't going to go, but nobody said no to Christina Landgraab. Nobody. Her reputation would be slandered throughout the town, and Athena did not need that kind of negativity in Caleb's life. She hired the babysitter, Lester Gamboa and left to go to the party.

Who has a pool party when it's snowing out?

She quickly befriended Christina's clone daughter, Christa Landgraab and got some great networking opportunities that advanced her celebrity star level to three. Athena figured if she could get her face out, it would be easier to find Mason. No, actually, she was doing this for herself. She was starting to think he didn't want to be found, and it broke her heart. She wouldn't welcome him back.

After the party, she paid Lester and took Caleb from his arms. She read him Jimmy Sprocket before putting him to sleep. She smiled. He was so precious. The next morning, Athena had a nagging feeling. She gave Caleb his bottle and went outside.

"E-Emit!" Athena was taken aback. "Why are you see through!?"

Emit was serious and didn't laugh like he normally would have. "This is just a hologram, the real me is out trying to fix the mess in the future."

"Mess? What happened?" That was the last thing she expected to hear from Emit. Afterall, she stayed out of the future like he said. But then she remembered the threat in Lunar Lakes. "Didn't you guys find the guy who was causing all of the trouble here?"

"There isn't much time. You have to go to the portal. Everything will become clear."

"Wait, Emit!" Athena called but the hologram was already gone. What did he mean by that?

Athena didn't have much time, and she didn't know if the portal would be open. If that was the case, she had no time to waste. She couldn't leave Caleb here. She wouldn't be able to hide the truth. She put him in his stroller. Luckily the house wasn't that far away. The time portal was still hidden, but the house looked just as she had left it, even after several years. She paused for a moment, all of the memories flooded back to her. 

"Athena, I was waiting for you."

"L-levi!?"

"Its been awhile right? How have you been?" He was being so kind as if their fight had never happened.

"I...uhm...I" She didn't know what to say. Suddenly Caleb let out a loud shriek and pounded on his toy. 

"Caleb, honey. Whats the matter?" She held him in her arms and he quieted down.

"Is he your...?" Levi asked cautiously.

"My son? Yes. His name is Caleb Gray." 

"Is Mason his..." Levi trailed off again.

"Yes, that's actually why I'm here Levi. Well, Emit told me that I should find the portal and everything would become clear. Mason, he's disappeared. He's been gone for almost five years and now I just found out about the mess in the future...I mean could they be correlated?"

"Athena, your answers will become clear in the future."

"That's what Emit said, I'm trying to find out some more information here."

"Come inside, alright? I'll try my best to explain everything."

"You live here now!?" Athena was shocked. 

"I made myself at home, so what?" 

                                 "Are you serious? Levi, you know the consequences why would you bring someone here!" Athena was furious (or a little jealous maybe?)

                                 "I should be going now, thank you for your correspondence Mr. Moon. Moonlight Falls will keep in touch with you sir." And she flew off. This woman had pink wings! Her mind was on something else though.

"Mr. Moon? That's Mason's last name! You have some explaining to do right now mister!" She was in mom mode and Levi just laughed. "Shut up Levi! I'm being serious, who was that anyway!?"

"She was the representative from Moonlight Falls. We wanted to make sure what town the disturbance was coming from that affected the future. It wasn't Moonlight Falls. As for the Moon thing, I'll show you in the future come on."  He left her with more questions than answers. He better have a good explanation for all of this because she was getting tired of all the curve balls being thrown at her.

The three got into the portal but the light was orange instead of the usual blue.  "Whats going on Levi? This better be safe for my son." 

"Don't worry about it, I'll make sure he's safe." He picked up Caleb and held him in his arms.

"Wait-!" Athena was going to protest but Caleb seemed fine with being held by Levi. He didn't even cry. He just curled up against his chest and stayed there. "Alright, but if anything happens to him, you're dead."

"You can trust me Athena." He said before walking into the orange glow. She thought back to their fight. She didn't know if she could trust him. But apparently, Caleb did.

The three stepped out of the portal unscathed. Caleb was still clutching Levi's shirt. Levi had magically changed into his old clothes somehow.  "Told ya, you could trust me. Here is your child." He tried to pass him back but Caleb looked really comfortable. "He is so cute!" Levi gushed.

"Do you mind holding him?" She mumbled. "He seems to like you."

Finally she looked around. Everything was gray. The world was plummeted into a darkness that Athena couldn't believe. Trash was thrown upon the streets, plants were dead and buildings were in ashes. The future was in complete turmoil.

The title is finally coming in to play. Will everything become clear to Athena?