Chapter 6 - THE DAWN AFTER THE STORM
The morning sun broke through the heavy grey clouds over Chicago, painting the sky in brilliant hues of gold, pink, and crisp amber. The air was cold and fresh, washed clean by the fierce nocturnal tempest.
At 8:00 AM, the black stealth helicopter touched down gently on the manicured helipad of the Cross estate.
Clara Bennett stood near the edge of the lawn, wrapped in a thick wool coat, holding Lily’s hand tightly. She hadn't slept a single minute all night. She had watched armed men patrol the grounds, heard the distant sirens of federal law enforcement vehicles taking away the Salvatore conspirators across the city, and prayed for the safety of the strange, dangerous man who had given her and her daughter a roof over their heads.
The helicopter's rotors slowed down, coming to a halt.
The side door slid open.
Nathaniel Cross stepped out. His face was bruised, his coat torn, but his eyes were clearer than they had been in twenty years.
And right beside him, leaping down onto the green grass with tail wagging high, was Titan.
"TITAN!" Lily shrieked with unbridled joy.
She broke free from Clara’s grip and ran across the wet lawn as fast as her short legs could carry her.
"Lily, wait!" Clara cried out, her heart leaping into her throat out of instinct.
But there was no need for fear. Titan dropped to his stomach in the grass, rolling onto his back, letting his giant paws flop lazily in the air as Lily threw her small arms around his massive neck, burying her face in his dark fur.
"You came back! You came back!" Lily giggled, kissing the dog's scarred snout. Titan let out a happy, snorting bark and licked her cheek with a tongue the size of a dinner plate.
Nathaniel walked over, stopping a few feet away. He knelt in the grass, ignoring the dampness, until he was at eye level with the little girl.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the cream-colored teddy bear that Titan had carried back from the island. He handed it to her.
"He kept it safe for you," Nathaniel said gently.
Lily took the bear, her bright blue eyes shining with awe. She looked at Nathaniel, reached out her tiny hand, and gently patted his bruised cheek.
"You have a boo-boo, Mr. Nathaniel," she said solemnly. "Does it hurt?"
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Nathaniel felt a warmth spread through his chest, melting the very last icicle of pain that had haunted his soul for decades.
"Not anymore, Lily," he said softly, looking up at Clara, who was standing nearby with tears streaming down her face. "Not anymore."
