I don't even know Nova really yet, but I do know how mesmerizing I find her and I would do anything for her already, which must mean I'm in love with her or something. I don't even know her pronouns or sexual orientation, but I'm guessing she is not a she considering what Mary quite contrary called her or maybe I'm just reading too much into that. Maybe I should just ask? But I don't even know how to talk to people let alone someone I have feelings for. I always manage to fumble my words, even though I rehearse in front of the bathroom mirror every single day! 

We haven't talked in what feels like hours, but may have only been mere minutes, the silence between us is awkward and uncomfortable, this whole situation is so tenuous like it could break any minute, and I don't want that to happen. I beg myself to make conversation, but it's like I've been rendered mute. We enter the cave across from the grassy dunes near the ocean.

Everything goes pitch black and feels cooler and damper than what's outside the cavernous shelter. I decide to use my magic to put some floating lights up near the top of the cave to brighten up our path ahead, and just as I do I hear Nova stop and gasp. 

I turn to look at her and she's completely hypnotized by the beauty of the lights. I smile knowingly at this fact and see it as the perfect opportunity to pluck up the courage and ask him or her or whatever some questions so I can get to know them better. I steady my nerves, and take a calming breath before asking the burning question in my mind, “Are you....Are you a girl biologically, but don't see yourself internally as a girl?" I feel my heart pounding against my rib cage and wipe my shaking sweaty palms on my ripped jeans, why did I ask them that first, now she's going to think I'm rude?! 

My ears start buzzing in the din of silence with static, my heart fluttering and skipping beats like it got distracted by something or forgot how to function properly. Why isn't she saying anything? Should I apologise?! She coughs to clear her throat before replying, “No one has ever bothered to ask me that before without using it against me.” Of course, that's why she was being quiet, she is afraid of being teased or worse. I clear my throat and say, “I feel the same way about people finding out I want to be polyamorous and especially about my sexuality, what with me being bisexual and all that." 

She looks at me like I hung the moon or something and smiles softly, she's actually smiling at me wow, she's so beautiful; then she replies to the question I asked her, but I almost forgot it when she smiled at me and my brain short circuited, “I'm not a boy or a girl actually, I see myself as neither; I prefer to be called they/them, I don't use male or female pronouns really, because I'm gender non-conforming, although that doesn't stop everyone else, and I'm bisexual too, but I don't know how I feel about polyamory in a relationship; unless it's a closed one, which I would be willing to try again." I'm astounded to find out that they're my ideal type, and I want so badly for us to have a relationship, but I don't want to scare them off, because they don't seem to trust easily and neither do I particularly, so I need to take things slow with them. “Again?!" I say shocked. “Yeah I was in one when I was 12, but it didn't work out, there were 4 of us, me, 2 girls, and a boy.” They say nonchalantly as though I'm not freaking out over this brand new information! 

We make it to an open area of the cave and sit facing each other. I look at them, and it occurs to me that they're not comfortable with eye contact, so I count to 5 seconds before drifting my eyes away from their eyes every time I talk to them or look their way in order to make them feel more comfortable, which thankfully puts them at ease. I hand them some food hoping it'll help bring the colour back into their face again as they're lips have lost a lot of their red complexity. 

Suddenly as though without warning their breathing doesn't sound right, it sounds like a broken whistle in their chest, they're panting too hard like they're running a marathon, but struggling to breathe in or out, and struggling to slow their breathing. I ask them what's wrong, but they can't speak to tell me what's going on and they're coughing so much as though they're choking on food, but they haven't eaten anything yet.

I think they've got asthma from the looks of it, but I don't think they have their inhaler with them, however I do know someone who does have an inhaler and he could get here very quickly, but that could put Nova in danger if their hideout is found. I'll worry about that later, first I have to save their life. I send out a distress spell to Storm Harris and hope he makes it here soon as Nova is turning grey and their lips are slowly tinging to blue. I feel a zing go through me and pulse rhythmically as a reply, before I feel a flurry of energy and hear the crackle of an incoming storm. Good he's got the message and he's on his way to us.

I hear bounding footfalls echoing along the cave walls and wait for him to round the corner while I panic over the laboured breathing of my new companion. He finally arrives and looks out of breath, and confused by what's going on until his sights set on Nova and I on the ground. “Did you bring your inhaler?” I ask him impatiently. He pulls it out of his jeans pocket and administers a dose for Nova, and then a second one when the first one doesn't help enough, then waits to see if it works. He then takes a puff of it himself as running can exacerbate his asthma, which is why he doesn't tend to do so all that often anymore.

Nova slowly starts to improve and looks exhausted by the events that just transpired and seems to be embarrassed too, which I can't say I blame them, but they don't need to feel awkward about it or anything, afterall health is nothing to be embarrassed about. What surprises me is how Storm keeps eyeballing them like he knows them. “Mum?!” He says. I gasp completely shocked and now wondering if pursuing this crush is a good idea considering the fact I also have feelings for Storm too; oh god I don't know who to choose!

Nova opens their eyes and looks at Storm's face, puzzled at first. Then I see the recognition enter their eyes and they smile in a way I've never seen before. “Hi Storm." They reply softly. “What the fuck?!" I squeak. Then they burst out laughing for some reason and I'm even more at odds with this situation than ever before. “Son!” They gasp back and then they both hug?! What the hell?! They laugh even harder than before when they see my face. “Relax Shadow I'm sixteen years old and can't possibly be his mother, I just took him in because he had nowhere else to go.” They say amusingly, “probably due to the fact that I treated him not unlike how a mother would. It's just a running joke we've had for years.” 

I roll that around in my head until I feel even more befuddled than before, how could they know Storm when they're not from this town? Or are they originally from here? “Nova, where exactly did you say you were from?” I croak. “I didn't, I'm not even from this town, or this planet, let alone the solar system.” They utter, “That's why the council wanted to question me and they were running experiments on me too until I escaped." Storm is now the one who looks flabbergasted, and looks at me to see if I knew about this, which obviously I did. 

“Shadow, what did you do?" He asks fearfully, “If your dad finds out about her escape—" 

“Their" I correct. “Huh?"He utters confusingly. “Nova is non-binary and doesn't like to be referred to as she or her.” I explain. Storm turns towards Nova and apologises to them, “Oh geez, I'm so sorry Nova I didn't know, I'll make sure I try extra hard in the future not to trigger you again okay, please forgive me?" 

“Yeah, sure Storm, no problem, and it's okay you didn't know about it, at least you apologized, which is more than I usually get in response." They say in response. 

I do wonder what Nova has been through sometimes especially when they get those far off in the distance sad looks on their faces. the mile long stare that's looking at something maybe in the past that's so unpleasant even I'm hesitant to know about it or even ask what it is. Right now, there's that look again, and I have to wonder what sort of bigotry they have been dealt with in the past to make them seem almost resigned to it by now, but also sad that nobody will accept them for who they are. Everyone should feel like they belong and shouldn't feel like they're not acceptable or “normal” within their own society. What even is normal? I doubt normal even exists at this point, and if it ever did I've never seen it. 

My musings are interrupted by Storm a moment later, and I have no idea what to say when he does, “Okay, so what's the plan, how are we going to keep Nova out of their clutches, and away from your father without being caught?" “Okay, I realise it was a spontaneous act of mercy on my part to save Nova, but I couldn't just let those jackoffs get them." I reply shiftily. “Be that as it may, we should still try to figure it out now at least on what we should do to keep us all out of danger.” Storm wisely put out there. “Maybe we should get John involved then, he's far better at strategising than we are, because I have no idea where to start!" I say irritatingly. “We can't do that Shads, what if he tips off the hunters?!" Storm hisses at me, “You know as well as I do that the last time we involved him he let slip something Mel had said and now she's not speaking to us!"

We kept arguing about stuff for a while and completely missed Nova trying to get our attention. “Guys." “Guys!” “Guys!!" They tried yelling, shouting and talking at their normal talking register, but it didn't work, so they decided to bring out the big guns, they needed to scream to be heard, which Shadow had never heard before and never wanted to again because it was close to deafening for him. “GUYS!!!!” Storm yells and covers his ears, and looks up at Nova in shock. Shadow is absolutely stunned that that volume came from them, and his ears are still ringing from it. “Good, finally you're listening, it seems to me that we could use your other friends as help Shadow, so make peace with Mel, and whoever else and get them here, because I have a plan, and I know it's going to work." 

“So, what's the plan?" Storm asks. “I'll tell you both once the rest of the team are here.” 

“Okay, but Nova I'm not sure they'll all come, and I can't contact John because his family will know, they'll sense it.” I explain, “Also, considering he is partly responsible for what happened to Mel, I doubt she'll come if he's here too." 

“Okay, so don't invite him then, we'll have to do without him, especially because the hunters here could be working for the Order and the council." They say. “Or his dad." Storm added. They nodded in agreement. “Okay Storm you call the girls, I'll call the rest of the guys.” I say. Storm and I get to work sending messages to everyone and while Nova eats some food; we plan out how to get Mel in the same room as me.