"In her case, I couldn't get consent as there was no one to ask," I said. "You, as her daughter, are not her next of kin so you are unable to give consent. I couldn't ask your father, who I technically assaulted with my power, and your mother was in no state to give consent herself. So where was my authority to act?
"Sometimes I have to make decisions simply because I'm the only one who can. I can't allow people to learn my secret. You know why, Gracie told you. If the Healer network were to be exposed, it would cease to exist. The Healers would be hounded, persecuted, prosecuted and, eventually, slip away into obscurity, that is if they weren't murdered by some weird religious nut. Then all those that they could have saved -- would die.
"I've made mistakes, Dana, and you were right that day about Jasper. I worked those boys over, and the decision to break Jasper's arm was cold, calculated, and deliberate. I wanted revenge for what he'd done to Jules. He drove that poor girl to the roof of the science building, wanting to end her own life, and for what? Because he wanted access to her father's money, and he wanted to get his dick wet. I'm still not sure which one was his driving motivation."
Dana looked at me then came over and put her arms around me, pulling me to her, and laid her head on my chest. I stepped away from the stove, and Ness took over while I held the young girl.
"One thing we never considered," Dana said, her voice muffled against my chest, "never even spoke about, was that the supe would be a person. That they would have emotions, feelings, and faults. They would be under enormous pressure, coping with everything we norms coped with, as well as their powers on the top of that. I never considered that.
"You saved my mom. She was dying and you Healed her. If we were in ethics class, no doubt I would be raving about abuse given what you did to my father and the nurse, and the fact that you didn't ask anyone's permission; you just took it upon yourself to act. But in your actions, you saved her. And I can never ever repay what you did for me, for us.
"The really stupid, sad, and frustrating thing is that I can't tell anyone. I can't tell my father that my friend was the man who brought his wife back to him; it was you, and not his precious God, that snatched her from the jaws of death. Knowing him he'll be claiming miracles and acts of God, meaning HE will be taking vicarious credit for your amazing act.
"But what makes YOU amazing, makes you a supe, is that recognition doesn't seem to matter to you. You're not doing this for the accolades. You're doing it because you can, and because it's the right thing to do."
I looked down at her, where she was nestled against me. I had no answers, no affirmation, no rebuttal.
"I'm just like anyone else," I said, "trying to make my way in the world. I have a slightly bigger toolbox than most other people, but I'm using what tools I've got in the best way I know how.
"Dinner's ready," said Ness gently and we, Dana and I, parted.
"Go get the others?" I asked Dana. She nodded as Ness and I served up the food and put the plates on the table. It was starting to feel like working in a restaurant. With myself, my girls, Josh, Louise, and now Gracie and Dana, we were feeding nine people at each mealtime. Our grocery bill was soaring even without my voracious appetite when I was training.
I didn't mind. I loved having all these people around. It felt right to be in a big family and, without hesitation, l considered all of these people to be a part of my family. We sat around the table, eating dinner and chatting about all kinds of things. We spoke mostly about school and going back and it was then I realized that I hadn't looked up my exam results for last semester. I'd meant to do it weeks ago, but just got side-tracked and forgot all about it.
After dinner, I logged into the college website. I goggled when I saw my results. I had a perfect 4.0. If I carried on like that, I would graduate summa cum laude which would look really good on my transcript. I doubted that I'd have a problem getting a job, if I decided to forego the FBI, but it was a matter of personal pride to do as well as I possibly could. I remembered my results for the first year. I had a solid 3.4 and was literally working my ass off. I grimaced once again. That amulet had a lot to answer for.
It was just after nine, and I noticed that Gracie had her head together with Amanda. As I looked across at them, they both looked at me and grinned. It was almost unnerving and I wondered what they were up to. Actually, that wasn't true...I guessed what they were up to but I wondered what exactly was going to happen.
I didn't have long to wait to find out.
Gracie stood up and wandered over in my direction. She held out her hand to me and, when I took it, tugged indicating I should get up.
I stood.
She turned her head and held her hand out to Dana, who stood and joined us, taking her hand, and my other hand.
"Caleb," said Gracie. "You saved my life. You saved Dana's mom. Even aside from those monumental gifts, we both have a great deal to thank you for. Will you allow us to give you our thanks?"
I looked from Gracie, with her stormy sea green eyes, to Dana, with her piercing blue ones, and both were gazing at me. I glanced across to where my girls were seated watching us. They were all grinning. It seemed that they had been consulted beforehand and had consented to these two 'borrowing' me for a while.
"You know that you have nothing to thank me for," I said.
"Is that a 'no?'" asked Dana getting closer.
"No," I said, "but..."
"There's no buts," said Gracie, "except these." She took my hand and placed it on her ass. Dana did the same. I had to admit, having two hands full of my favourite part of anyone's anatomy wasn't hurting their case any.
Gracie reached up and pulled my face down to hers for a gentle kiss, while Dana ran her hand down my front and across my very obvious arousal.
"I think someone is 'up' for it," she giggled. I chuckled into Gracie's mouth and we broke the kiss. Gracie turned, dislodging my hand from her ass, and took it once again in hers. She began to lead me from the living room and into their bedroom. Dana, too, moved, taking my other hand, and followed us in. She closed the door behind her.
This time it was Dana's turn to step up to me. She cradled my face in her hands.
"Let us," she began, "if not to thank you, then to show our appreciation for ALL you have done for both of us." She leaned in and kissed me. It was gentle and loving rather than needy and lustful, yet her kiss promised more. I felt Gracie standing behind me and she began to undo my belt and pants. Dana broke the kiss momentarily while she removed my T-shirt and then closed in to capture my mouth once again.
While Dana was distracting me, Gracie was busily divesting me of my remaining clothing. Soon I was naked, with a very naked Gracie pressed up against my back. I wasn't sure when she had found the time to get naked, but her body felt hot against mine.
Dana released me, turning me to her lover. Gracie took both my hands and led me to their bed, pulling me to lie full length in the middle. Meanwhile I heard the susurrous sound of Dana's clothing as she removed it. I looked at her, and she stopped for a moment appearing very self-conscious. This was the first time I'd seen her naked and she wasn't sure how I'd react.
She was completely smooth, the only hair, on her body that being on her head and eyebrows. Her body was lean and toned. She obviously exercised. Her breasts were small, maybe an A cup, with small pink nipples that stood out from slightly darker aureole. Her cock was just slightly shorter than mine, and slender. She was circumcised and it had a graceful slight upward curve. The sight of her made my mouth water and my own cock twitch in anticipation.
"Beautiful," I murmured after gazing at her for a moment. She smiled, and blushed slightly, before sliding onto the bed on my other side to Gracie.
Dana began kissing my chest, as Gracie closed in on me, then began working her way down my body.
"Dana is still a virgin," Gracie said softly to me. "She wants you to be the one to take her virginity, but not tonight. Is that Okay?"
