"Revive Me With Just One Touch..."

Velair

I guess I was going to be here a while,where here was I really had no clue.
Homesickness seeped into me ad suddenly that was exactly where I was.

"Woah.."

The grass felt cool under my bare feet and the cobblestone path that led to my house hadn't changed a bit.The manor-like building unfolded before me,even the tree holding the tire swing appeared.
I remembered that swing perfectly,I spent most of my childhood perched on that seat.
Sometimes with my father while he strummed his guitar.

"Miss me that much darlin'?".

I felt an instant chill,goosebumps rose all over my exposed skin."Daddy?".

I turned around to be met with the man I never got the chance to know.
He was dressed in his favorite blue jeans,his biker boots,and his faded Megadeth shirt with his leather jacket on top.His normal attire.
His hair was a twist of blonde and brunette curls,his eyes a clear ocean blue.That smile I saw back when things were good, was still on his face.

I threw my arms around hisalways small waist,"Daddy!".

His arms wrapped around me,"You have no idea how good it is to see you Shug".

I held on tighter,my eyes begining to water."I've missed you soooo much!".

He grabbed my chin and forced me to look up at him,"I've missed you too.How you doing bud?".

I let a few tears fall only to have my father wipe them away,"Haven't you been watching over me?".

He placed a soft kiss on my forehead,"I want to know how you're feeling?I'm no mind reader hon".

I wiped my nose on my sleeve,"Afterall this time,same as I did then.."

He knew what I was talking about,I'm pretty sure even he wasn't the same after what happened.

"Velair you can't let your mother control you,you're a grown...a big girl".

I laughed slightly at his failed attempt at a peptalk,"She's in my head".

He looked around,"I don't see her".

I frowned,"What'r you talking about?".

"Velair,sweetheart.This is your head,well your mind,the times you thought you heard your mother you actually did",he answered my unasked question,"You were never going crazy".

This was too much to process,"But,how was it real?I just..how?".

He grabbed my hand and led me to sit on a patch of grass under the tree,"Before you were born your mother got really into voodoo.She lived for messing with those things and I guess that's what made her lose it in the end".

"Why me?".

He hesitated,"Your mother hated herself.She hated being 'brown',she hated being Mexican.I guess that explains why she married me in the first place.When you were born you looked exactly like her.Same brown eyes and the same brown hair,the only difference was that your skin was lighter.That was what made her instantly hate you".

I chocked back a sob,"She hated me?".

"I shouldn't have said that,I'm sorry".

I shook it off,"No,I always wanted to know why".

He nodded and continued,"Well the initial plan was to get rid of me and keep all my money,but when she saw you becoming 'Daddy's little girl' you had to go too".

I smiled up at my daddy,"I'm sorry".

"Forget about it hon.Point of it all is that you have got to face your fear.Your mother is still out there and she still has a vengeance.She could never collect my will because I hid it where she would never think to look".

I cut in,"Where's that?".

He smiled down at me,"You've always known sweetie,but that isn't the point.
Your brother needs your help.When you left,which by the way was completely genious,your mother took him with her".

My curiosity perked up,"Where is he now?".

My father chewed with it a bit,"I haven't checked up on them quite as much as you,last I saw they were in...San Diego?".

That shot my curiosity down and spiked my fears up,"I..I really s-saw her a-at the b-beach,didn't I?".

My father squeezed my hand,"Yes,and that boy..he seems okay but he needs to keep his hands to himself".

The laugh that slipped past my lips surprised me,"Dad how can that be your greatest worry?".

He leaned back into the tree,"Hey I'm only saying,if he wants to express himself that's what they invented flowers and chocolates for.Same to that other boy.".

I sighed,"Dad,back to mom please."

He smiled in a very confident way,"Velair,I'm not worried about your mother.I've watched you grow up and I know when you see her you'll know exactly what to do.You've never let me down".

I smiled,"You really think I can face my fear?".

He placed his hands on the sides of my head and made me look him in the eyes. "You don't know how brave you are.."

He was wrong.
I knew exactly how brave I was,I wasn't going to go off chasing my mother anytime soon but I also wasn't going to cower behind anyone or anything anymore.
I was going to wait for her to find me and when she did,well we'd just have to wait and see.

"Dad I'm gonna make you proud of me".

He smiled and kissed my forehead,"You always have darlin'".

There was a slight quiet before he spoke up again."Now there's one other thing I want you to do for me".

I looked up at my father,"What is it?".

He grabbed my hands and pulled us both up and on our feet."It's time for you to go".

I frowned,"No,wait!".

He shook me,"You have to wake up Velair.Wake up".

"Wake up Velair.Please wake up".

My fingers clenched at my sides,I fought to stay with my father.

"Velair?".

The familiar voice was bringing me back down to Earth,I knew it was time to stop fighting it.

My eyelids only opened about halfway before closing again.I tried again.I opened my eyes slower, letting myself get used to the lights.

"Velair?".

I smiled at the person holding onto my hand,"Hey Mike,what'd I miss?".