It was Evie and Jacobs twenty-fifth birthday and they continued to celebrate it separately as they parted ways five years ago. Both were a bit distraught by their way of departure, but what was done, was done. Their years spent together as siblings had it's ups and downs, of course, but once Evie betrothed another without any information given to Jacob, he distanced himself from her ever since. The last time he gave any contact toward her was on her wedding day. He attended her wedding for her sake, but his demeanor towards her was sharp and cold like a dagger being plunged through her chest. Jacob tried his best to accept her marriage, but something inside him ticked to the point of where he just walked away after her wedding and never said his good-byes to her when she moved to India with Henry.

1872

Fall

It was a crisp early morning when Evie arrived back to London to continue her research, reunite with her allies, and hoping to revitalize with her brother as well after being apart for over five years. She breathed in the fresh wintry air, admiring the fall season reaching its course of return as she stepped outside, soon letting out a deep sigh. She missed the smell of London. The fresh smell of grass covered with dew. The musk of the pigmented bark on the trees as the leaves freed themselves by the support of the brisk wind. The strong scent of smoke whenever a train passed by. Everything there made Evie feel like she was finally at home. Or at least close to it.

Home- it wasn't the train, nor the bed, nor even the place itself in general. It was her brother. Her last living relative she has missed for several years. She was homesick and her haste marriage with Henry was not as keen of an idea as she had hoped. After looking back at that day, she didn't regret a single bit of matrimony. The only thing she did regret was not put effort into patching things up with her brother before their leave. Another sigh escaped her lips before she tried to recover herself from her slight depression. Evie put full focus into freerunning so she could see if everything was still the same or if anything new has arised.

"I hope he's still here..."

She whispered to herself, scoping out the area with her eagle vision. Evie didn't see anyone freerunning from building to building so she ran from town to town, keeping her eye out for the train she prayed was still moving. As she searched the area around London she spotted an assault happening below her. She put her hood on and swooped down and slit the persons throat with her blade before anything happened to the pedestrian. The young adult looked at the citizen, lying on the ground in fear. Evie glimpsed over with peacefulness in her eyes as a faint grin crossed her face before jumping back onto the rooftop.

"I did not expect there to be another assassin around these neck of the woods." Someone chuckled from behind, approaching with a sound of slight annoyance, "Well, no matter. The deed is done, so I'll admit I should thank you for getting that pest out of the way."

"Hm?" Evie tensed a little by the familiar sound in the man's voice, her hood still on as she turned to look.

"Anyway, I'll be off. Catch you around if you plan to stay in town." A scoff escaped the man's lips, "Have a pleasantry of a day young lad or lass." He turned, waving as he began to run to jump to the next building.

"Wait!" Evie ran to the man and grabbed his wrist before he jumped to the next construction.

"Mind if I ask you to remove your hand?" The man turned his heels, a perplexed look in his bay colored eyes that bore into hers, "Wait a tick..." His eyes narrowed, trying to take a closer look.

"It's me, brother." Evie removed her hood.

"Well, I'll be damned..." A faint laugh left his lips, "If it isn't my eldest sister. Quite an interesting way to reunite with someone I hoped to not have ran into again." His look became dark after realizing who it was, "What a grand fucking day. Why the hell are you back here? Shouldn't you be with your loving husband in India?"

Evie loosened her grip slowly, soon releasing his wrist completely. It felt as though her heart has stopped. The young woman knew this shouldn't surprise her seeing as to how they haven't spoken for over five years, but she didn't expect this blow to feel so harsh. She was at a loss for words to that kind of remark towards her the very first day she has returned. Evie breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly to recompose herself so she could respond.

The young woman looked down, trying to think of what to say, but she couldn't think of anything as the cruelness in his words and the sharpness of his tone struck her harder than she ever expected. She closed her eyes and tried to process her next few words. Evie didn't want to bring up the topic she has always wanted to dodge, but she felt that was the only thing she could begin with to match with his remark. The young brunette evened out her breathing so she could think straight and calm her pounding heart before speaking.

"We... We separated last fall... and worked together for a year before I returned here." Evie looked back up at Jacob, her sky blue eyes peering into his dark amber colored ones.

"I beg your pardon...?" Jacob peered at her with disbelief, "What the bloody hell happened between you two? You two seemed so cheery I almost gagged from the radiant look you kept giving him."

"It was a mistake..." The young woman looked down, gripping her chest.

"Yes, quite a vast oversight for you to throw away your freedom and for returning, to be honest." The man glared, "If you came for business, then continue on your journey to find the shroud of eden, but don't expect a warm welcome from me and stay out of my way of work. I already have enough on my plate..."

Jacob passed Evie and began to run until she grabbed him again by impulse. She gripped on his hand tightly, barely having the will to look up at him as she tried to hold in her tears. The young woman breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly to calm her nerves before beginning to speak. She didn't know how to begin. The young man tried to jerk away, but she kept a tight grip on him even though her energy to hold him tightly began to drain slowly by the punctured wounds caused by the words she felt were severe. Evie opened her mouth slowly, trying to find the right words to say to him, but nothing crossed her mind. She didn't know what words were right. She just stood there with her mouth gaped slightly opened.

What in the world could I say to this man to make him stay...? She questioned herself, What did I ever do to turn him into... into this?

"I'm sorry, dear brother..." She began, "I'm sorry my promises could not be kept... I'm sorry I left you alone here..." Evie tried her damnedest to hold in her tears as tight as she could, but after each word, tears began to stream down her face, blinding her to where she could no longer see that deathly glare of his, "I'm sorry for everything, brother... I'm sorry..." She released his hand and bolted.

After seeing the look of sadness in his sisters eyes and the tears sliding down her pale freckled cheeks, he fell weak, soon trying to reach out to stop her, "Wait!" Jacob held out his hand, wanting to run after her, but his feet stayed planted in place, "Damn it all to hell..." His hands clenched tightly into fists as he growled with frustration, redness soon covering his skin as he closed his eyes tightly, regretting every word he said to her from the day of her wedding to this very day, "Fuck!" He tore himself from the ground and chased after her within a matter seconds.