Touch in the Worlds - Return to the Beyond

Let's see...Yep, I think the title says it all.

They had to come back at some point.

Read on!

                                                                                                 ***

"You two don't look like you got much sleep." My father said when we both arrived for breakfast. Stephen and I threw a quick glance at each other but didn't say anything as we finished our plates.

"So, what's your plan for today?" My mother asked.

"We're going to go watch some movies on the computer." I mumbled. "Movies...? You should show him the sights," My mother said.

"That's the plan for tomorrow. I'm still kind of jet-lagged, so we decided to take it slow today." Stephen said into his bowl of scrambled eggs.

I kept a close eye on him as he pushed his bread around, looking lost.

I frowned and looked down at my own toast. It didn't feel like he'd gotten over what had happened last night.

Hulk...smash!

"Ok," I said, pushing the volume button up. Stephen looked up at me from the floor where he'd been lounging for more than half an hour. "Ok, what...?" he asked.

"Ok, what's your take on this?" I asked.

"Ok, what's my take on what?" He asked.

I deadpanned, looking at him with my 'not amused' look. He sat up straighter. "Look, T, I just want to get this over with." He said. "It won't be over with. The psycho sent vampires after us and now she's sending humans." I hissed.

"Then let's tell the cops,"

"Yeah, cause that will work," I scoffed.

"I don't know why you ask me things when you don't want to know what I think!" he said, angrily.

"That's not true! I value your opinion; just like I valued...everyone else's."

The mood suddenly sobered as we both looked at the Avengers smashing up the city.

"I just don't like to think that we'll never see them again, you know. Bella, Ben, Angela..." He mumbled.

I stared at him. "I never knew you felt like that." I said.

Stephen looked at me for a long bit.

"When I got there, I woke up in Ben's room. He's this tiny little guy you know. I came across him being a bit ganged up on a couple times too. It got me protective. So, I spent some of my time trying to get to know the characters better. When I found out about you, I was...thrilled, I guess. That didn't mean I was just about to forget about the people I met...you understand, don't you?" he looked up at me with his big beseeching eyes and I sighed, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

"Of course I do, Steph," I sighed.

You cannot be serious, her mind hissed at her but the woman hissed right back.

Her hair stood on edge and her eyes roved maniacally but she needed to do it.

She had suffered; so...so much...and now the girl and the boy thought they could live their own happy little lives? As if, she had something to say about it and she would have a say in it.