Chapter 25 (Josephs POV) Come With Me

I sat there for a few moments, as none of it seemed real. None of it in fact, because I saw my father and Uncle seem to have no sort of reaction on their face when they had heard the voice speak up. I wondered if any of it was real, or if it was just simply a figment of my imagination.

Maybe I had just mistaken the voice of another person... I tried to pretend like none of it was real, though I knew that it was. It just did not make sense as to how they had known the name of Padre like that. It had to be her, but I kept trying to push it off.

I saw Padre turn his head over to the women that had just spoken up to him. I saw the look on his face, as I just wanted to push it off again. It was quite a surprised look that was on his face, as though he had recognized the lady that had just spoken his name.

His eyes were wide, and I wanted to get closer to see if it was indeed real or not. But it seemed as though my body was stuck in place. It seemed as though all of our bodies were, as John still had his bow out, though he knew the man who had just spoken to him.

I stayed there for a bit longer, and just stared ay Padre. I wish that I could be in his place right now... I just wanted to see if it was real or not. I knew it was but my brain was telling me that it was not. We had gone this far, just to find them here? How had they even gotten here in the first place?

I had to find out, all of this could just be one extra long dream for me. Maybe I was dead already, or maybe I was in a coma and none of this was real. I stayed there, as Padre thankfully broke the silence, and he then began to speak back to the woman that had just spoken his name.

"Julia? Is this? No... It can't be! How did you get here?" He said to the lady. As soon as he said her name as well, my heart seemed to stop, as it just began to flutter around in place for the time being. It seemed like the pillar was all crashing down on me, but not in a bad sort of way.

It seemed as though this time, there was some light on the other side. I kept telling myself that it could not be true, and surely he meant another Julia... But I knew that it was all real, and I had to except the fact now, as it made the world seem to stop around me, as sometimes it liked to do that, but this time it was not in the circumstance.

There was silence for a few moments, as no one said a word to each other. I wanted to do something, but something was holding me back from doing that. It was as though my body was just frozen, and the world had seemed to be a bit cold for some time as well.

But it seemed as though that cold was going away from me now, and sunny days were ahead of us, though I knew that the winter was soon to come. None of that mattered, the only thing that mattered was her... I closed my eyes, and then shook my head, as I knew that I could not forget about my sister.

I stayed still for a bit longer, as I then heard the voice of the man that had been speaking up to all of us not too long ago, as he then began to speak up to us once again. I was so lost at the moment, but I did manage to focus my ears on him, just to hear what it was that he had to say.

"Everyone just calm down... We can worry about all of this in a bit... First I just have to make sure." He said loud enough for all of us to hear. I was not so sure as to what it was that he was talking about at the moment, as I was not sure if it was because I was lost in thought, or if what he had said had made no sense.

I shook my head though, it did not matter to me now... I just had to go over, and see if this was real or not, and see if she was still there. I stayed still for a bit longer, as I looked around at what was going on around me at the exact moment in time.

I saw that Uncle and my father had their hands up in the air still, just as Padre did. This time they did not look to be afraid at all, it seemed as though all that fear had gone away, as they were more or less just as confused as I was as to what he was talking about.

I looked over at John, as it seemed as though he had his hand in his chin, as he was stroking his chin. I was not sure if that was because he was also confused as to what the man had been talking about, or if it was because he was always like that when he was thinking.

Either way, none of that mattered to me at the moment. I had wasted enough time as it was, as I was just still trying to push it off and pretend that it was not real. Could my father and Uncle not see who was there? No... It made sense that they did not, Padre was quite a bit ahead of them.

I shook my head, as I then began to run as fast as I could over to Padre, just to see if this was real or not. As I got very close to him, I stopped myself, as an arrow whizzed right past my face. I nearly lost my balance, as I fell to one knee, quite a bit surprised.

I looked over to see where it had come from, as I saw a face through a bunch of the leaves that were ahead of me, but I could not quite make out exactly who it was, or where it had come from, as it seemed as though the man was moving around.

I looked there for a few moments, and then Padre nodded to me to stay still and not move a step. I did so, as I then put my hands into the air just as he had done in the first place. I realized that it was quite dumb of me to run up on them just like that.

I turned my head over to where the man was speaking, as I realized that his voice was mainly aimed at me, up until the last part of what it was that he had to say to me. I realized as well that I should not have done that, as we were clearly trespassing on this mans property. I shook my head as I listened to what it was that he had to say.

"Not one more step! Next time it'll be to the heart... Don't you test me aim young one... Now John! Are you going to answer my question now?" He said to me, and then he yelled back over to John, as it seemed he now knew that it was in fact John.

I stayed still, as I saw that it was starting to get dark outside, and we needed to put up tents very soon, before it was too dark for us to see. I wanted to say something, but I did not dare do that, as I was worried that I might actually get hit this time by one of that guys arrows.

I did turn my head a bit too see John nod to himself from the corner of his eye. The man clearly knew that it was John, so I was not so sure as to why he was not just going to let me go past. If they knew each other, than surely he would know that I would not kill him right?

Then again, I had heard how dangerous this legion could be, so maybe he was not willing to test that risk out. I shook my head, as I wanted John to speak before the man actually went through with what he said he was about to do to me. I then heard him begin to speak up thankfully after a few more moments of just pure silence. I listened in on what it was that he had to say back as well.

"The code is 999... Calm down... That is the kid that we need, Adrian So watch what you are doing!" He yelled back to the man. I turned my eyes back over to the man that was in front of me. As he was just silent for just a few moments, as I feared that John might have put in the wrong code.

Adrian, the man that I had just learned the name of however, poked his head out of the leaves, and the crops that was in front of me, as he looked right at me and then he squinted his eyes at me at the same time. He looked at me for just a few moments longer and then he began to speak to me.

"So this is that kid? He's quite skinny... He doesn't seem to look anything like his Uncle either... You sure its him? At least his sister so to say does..." He said loudly back over to John. He turned his head over to John, just to make sure that it really was John.

John looked at him for a few moments, as he then shrugged his shoulders at the man, as though he had no response to what he had just said about me. As it seemed as though this time I would have to be the one that had to talk back to him, as he did not want to stand up for me... I suppose he had told me that I would have to do that myself at some point.

I stared the man down for a few moments, as he in fact did look a bit intimidated by it, which surprised me a bit, though I did not show it. I somehow managed to do that to someone that wanted to challenge me at any time, and I was not sure how I was able to do that. I then finally decided to respond back to the man, though he had been speaking to John.

"Yes... I am... You know where my sister is? Also did you say Julia?" I said, squinting my eyes at him at the exact sane time. He looked at me for a few moments, as it did not seem to me that he was surprised, or confused about me at all.

He sat there for a few moments, and then he turned his head over back into the field of crops that was standing in front of me. I heard his footsteps, as he began to walk away for some odd reason or another. I had no idea as to what it was that was going on.

I looked over at Padre, as he had a bit of a grin on his face, as he was staring at me. I looked at him a bit confused for a few moments, until I realized what was going on. It really was her, wasn't it? I did not do anything though, as I feared as if I walked another step the man might shoot me.

I shook my head, as I saw John begin to walk up to me. That was not the main reason why I had looked over that direction. I saw that Uncle had his head to the ground for some odd reason or another, but I tried not to worry myself about that too much.

The main reason I had turned my head over, was to see the reaction of my father when he had just found out that his daughter was still alive. I wondered if he did in fact care about us from time to time. He said he did, and he said that he regretted all that he had done, but I still felt like I must make sure.

I saw that he was initially shocked as he was not sure as though he had heard that correctly or not. He sat there for a few moments, a bit confused, as he looked over to me. I nodded to him, as the shocked look that was on his face seemed to disappear. The look that he had, had just as soon turned into quite an excited look.

I smiled at him for a few moments, but then looked away just as I had done so, as I turned my head over to John, as he had grabbed one of his hands onto my shoulder. I looked at him a bit confused for a few moments, as he had never done that to me before.

He had quite a happy look on his face though, as I had never actually seen him quite like that ever before. I realized then, as to why he was happy. He was happy for me... I still was not sure if this was real... The odds of all of this had to be one out of a trillion right?

I mean... Think about it... The odds of them even surviving were fairly slim in the first place. But then, after all of that was done, what on earth were the odds of them actually making it here without starving, or having something else happen to them.

I was so lost at the moment, and I was not sure what to do. I still felt like none of this could possibly be real. Though I knew that it all was. I shivered, as John noticed it, and he squinted his eyes at me. I knew why as well, I knew what he would say... He always wanted me to look, and stay strong.

I took my thoughts off of all of that, as I then turned my head over to where I could hear the voice of a man and a woman speaking to each other a bit quietly. I recognized the voice, though it were ever so quiet. I knew right away that it was Mariah...

I wanted to run through the crops, and get over to her, and give her a big hug and a big kiss, but I remembered the man that had threatened me with an arrow to the heart, and I thought that it would be best not to try any of that on him.

I just stayed still for a few moments, as I then focused my ears on the footsteps of them, as they seemed to be getting closer and closer to me at the exact same instance. I sat there for a little bit, as then suddenly as I had my head to the ground, I saw their feet poke through the crops.

I stared there for just a few moments, as I did not dare turn my head up, as for some reason, I still wanted to keep telling myself that none of this was real, and that all of this was just some crazy ass dream that was running through my head.

I sat there for a bit longer, still keeping my head down, as there was just complete silence. I then heard her voice, as it had been over a year since that last day... When she had wished me luck on my father, and that court battle that had not lasted very long.

That was the last time... And boy... Could I really say this, that her voice felt so sweet, soft, calm, and just so pleasing for my ears to hear. I stayed still, as I wanted this to last forever... I had always wanted her... I had always wanted her forever, no matter the shit that we went through.

I then lifted my head up, as I saw her face... It was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen in my life. It was as if heaven and hell were teaming up with each other. I wanted to cry, and keep telling myself that it was not real. It had been such a long time, and I had told myself... I had lied to myself... That she was dead... I listened to that sweet voice of hers, and made sure that I felt every last drip of every last word that she spoke to me.

"Joseph?! I knew that I would find you again some day! They had told me all about your Uncle! I knew that you were not gone!" She said to me. I stared at her for a bit longer, as I told myself, that it was not real, and I blinked a few times just to make sure.

But she was still there... That is when I knew, this was real. Then I ran up to her, and I did give her that hug, and that kiss that I had been dreaming about a few moments ago. I felt every last part of her flowing into my soul, and it felt so good.

Then I let go of her, as for some reason it felt like it would be the last... I did not know last time that it would be... So I was afraid that this time it would. It was so scary to me, and my bones and my body began to creak, as my brain began to freak.

My body wobbled a bit... As I stared down for a few moments, still not sure what it was that I should say to her. I was just jumbled up, and lost in words that I should speak in my head, that it was just too hard to say anything. I did speak though, as it was just so hard for my brain to focus, as all of my body was focused on her face, and her beautiful eyes.

"Im... Im here... Its just so much to take in... I thought you were dead!" I said to her. She smiled at me for a few more moments, and then she came back up on me again, as she then went ahead and gave me another much needed kiss directly on my lips.

It soothed my body, as it was just what I had needed. She always somehow managed to do that to me, and I was not sure how she had managed it... Maybe it was because we were meant to be together... It felt like we were for sure...

I turned my head over to my father though, as he finally began to speak up on all of this at the exact same instance, as he felt like he should add his piece into all of what was going on in front of him at the moment, as I could tell he still was not sure if all of this was real either.

"So... If she is here... Is Mariah, my daughter here as well?" He said to Adrian, who had his eyes locked on me and Julia, as he was clearly quite happy to see that both of us were deeply in love with each other. Adrian turned his eyes to my father at the same time as well, as he squinted his eyes at him.

I gulped a little bit, as it seemed as though he might have heard a lot about my father from my sister as well. It did not seem to me that he had quite a trusting look in his eyes, as he then finally managed to speak back to my father.

"Yes... She is in my house as we speak... She will be delighted to see you both!" He said to him. My fathers look on his face looked like it was about to explode, as it seemed as though he was hopping back and forth at the exact same time as well.

Adrian thankfully did not look to have that same look that it had seemed that he might have had a few moments ago, as he had said that to my father. I relaxed myself for the time being, and then I finally decided to say my part in all of this.

"Can we go and see her then?" I asked the man. He still had his head turned to my father, but once he had heard me speak to him, he then turned his head over to me. I stared at him for a few moments, as he then nodded to me at the same moment.

I still had a lot of my thoughts on Julia, but I knew that my sister was just as important as she was, and I cared about her quite a lot as well. Though I still kept my eyes at her from the corner of my eyes, just to make sure she did not leave my sight ever again. I kept my ears focused of Adrian though, as he spoke to me.

"Yes... Right this way... Come with me."