Fox Life

While staring at ceiling, Iris wondered about her life. For the first time, she really examined herself and her choices. It was easy to say that she had no options, that everything was out of her hands, but was that the truth?     

She could remember the moments she tried to study again, to look into a way to return home, but had she ever done that with her heart in it? Of course not. Who would be eager to return to a dull and mindless reality when they could live in a beautiful fantasy?     

Life with Kyro and Lucifer was better than anything she had ever dreamed about or deserved. There were the fairy tale fantasy elements, but also the once in a while troubles to strengthen their relationship and allow them to grow closer.     

But there was a problem in that setting. Something Iris hadn't considered before. Unlike in a fairy tale, her situation didn't have a happy-ever-after which would signify the end of all troubles. She had reached the point where Kyro was an essential part of her life and could no longer watch him do everything for her all the time.     

When he talked yesterday, he didn't seem to blame her for anything, but she did it in his place. Jane, and it had to have been Jane, had been right. Iris was a leech. Maybe not in a sense Jane imagined it, but it made the situation little better.     

"I need to return home," Iris whispered, trailing the designs in the ceiling. "I can't pretend for the rest of my life that I've never had a life before this."     

It would be easy, simple really, but it wasn't right. Kyro deserved better of her.     

If she didn't go back, then what of her future? What of their possible life together?     

Iris turned to the side and pulled her knees closer. Holding tightly onto the blanket, she closed her eyes. She couldn't hide forever, avoid reality. The idea that Kyro would never be able to go anywhere with her for fear of inciting interest that might result in people finding out she was a missing person from UK was a haunting prospect.     

And there were his enemies to consider, too. With her around, wouldn't they always have a weapon to threaten Kyro? Her presence without the legal documents was nothing short of a ticking time bomb.     

One whose timer was in Jane's hands. Iris had little doubt that the woman would learn of it sooner or later. With power and money, all the world's secrets were for sale.     

With a sigh, Iris pushed the blanket off herself and stood up. Her life was going to change real soon, and she was feeling sluggish, not ready for it. Could she delay it for a bit longer?     

Near the sofa in the living room, she saw Lucy lying on the side. He didn't even raise his head at her approach, but his slowly healing wounds were all in the open.     

"I know, I know, I should have already done that," she murmured and caressed Lucy's head. "I won't act willful anymore, promise. Time to grow up."     

The words rang familiar from when she had finished high school, and a mocking smile touched her lips. It was easy to speak, but much harder to act.     

"First things first though, I don't want to see Jane again. Don't need her coming to disrupt the atmosphere here with real or imagined accusations." One time was more than enough.     

From her career of watching TV dramas, Iris knew that allowing Jane any freedom was just asking for trouble. That homewrecker had to be dealt with before going on any journey of self-inspection. Otherwise, what if she couldn't find any place to which to return?     

As much as Iris felt like she wasn't worth the life she had stumbled upon, she wasn't going to just give it away. If her luck was good enough to get it, then she had to be smart enough to not let it go. Otherwise her parents might turn in their graves.     

With that decision made, Iris changed and marched out of the house. Her destination was the guardhouse, and she soon entered it to see two men twice her size sitting in uniforms near a number of monitors with feeds from cameras all over the compound's walls.     

"Is something the matter?" one of the men asked, his voice gruff.     

Iris winced, a good portion of her courage having already evaporated. Could she really do it? Did she have it in her to act like she had the right to question them?     

"For what reason did you let a woman in a black sport's car yesterday through the gates?" The words got mixed up a bit, the sentence sounding more like a question than a demand, but Iris took joy in the fact that she even dared to say it.     

Her hand involuntarily moved to the fox necklace around her neck. It was cold to the touch, since she had just put it on, and it sent a jolt through her mind. This was her moment. It was the first step in her doing things herself instead of just letting the world push her right and left as it wished.     

"Did she do something inappropriate? You can write a report about it. Yesterday, she came to meet someone and that's why she was allowed to pass," the other guard said. His voice was a lot friendlier, so Iris zeroed in on him.     

"Meet? Would that person by Kyro per chance?"     

The guard looked at her with a little surprise. "Yes."     

"She didn't meet him, and he wasn't even her goal. She came to throw insults at me, and then left before she could be seen. So next time, do leave her outside the gates."     

"Missis, we'd love to do that, but… she showed that she had a meeting inside the area. We cannot stop anyone who has business inside just because of your words, even if they're correct."     

Iris bit her lip, feeling both furious and dejected. Was she just going to fail on her first step just like that? No, she wouldn't accept that!     

Swiftly going through her experience with the guards here and in the apartment before, she suddenly caught onto one point. "Then call the house when she, or anyone for that matter that plans to visit us, comes. If Kyro isn't home, there will be no need to allow that woman inside, right?"     

The guards looked at one after, then nodded slowly. "We can do that. I'll make a note. You live in house 207, right?"     

"Yes!" Iris said, beaming at the man.     

"Okay, for all guests there, we'll give you a call. Will that be all?"     

"Thank you."     

Outside the guardhouse, Iris grinned at the pathway before her. First step done, now just to figure out how to get that vixen away from Kyro in a more permanent manner. Iris chuckled at her own word choice, then skipped a few steps.     

Her heart brimming with joy, she was ready to topple mountains. Soon, she would tell Kyro about her plans, but until they solidified, she would pit her strength against Jane and see who would come up on top. After all, what did she have to fear? Even if she lost, it wasn't like Kyro would leave her.     

If his old lover came to lash out at Iris right after their meeting, it was clear that Kyro had showed no interest. Whatever his thoughts were, Jane wasn't in them.